Counterfictions / 边境怪谈

“Counterfictions” is an artwork by London-based artist Chris Zhongtian Yuan, in which the artist experiments with video, fiction, sound, architecture and performance to query political policy and social connections. “Counterfictions” uses Donald Trump as a starting point, as he builds a fictional wall in the public imagination. The film questions what happens when the world leans towards populism and conservatism. The sound architecture piece constructs alternative realities of ecological collapse after the construction of Trump’s border wall proposal. Layers of sound are combined with shadowy shots of arid landscapes. Facts and statistics from scientists, journalists and the former President’s speeches are referenced. The piece reaches a crescendo as a biologist tracks a genetically mutated species along the US Mexico border. The artist received The 2020 Aesthetica Art Prize’s Emerging Prize for “Counterfictions”. This publication is designed by RELATED DEPARTMENT as an archive folder