Xiaowen Zhu is an artist, filmmaker and writer. Described as a visual poet, social critic, and aesthetic researcher, she uses film, photography, performance, installation and mixed media as platforms to communicate the complex experience of being a diasporic person and to wrestle with the notion of a disembodied identity. As a multimedia, multidisciplinary artist, Xiaowen often creates installations which she then photographs.
Dualism has been exhibited in 2015 at the 2nd "CAFAM Future" Exhibition, at The Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Beijing. Xiaowen's other work has also been exhibited at equally prestigious locations, including the Whitechapel Gallery in London.
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Artist's Statement:
"Dualism captures overlooked objects and space in daily life. At first, I was interested in documenting random space in urban environment in Southern California: abandoned oil refinery, residential areas in industrial districts, building façades, and architectural components. Then I began investigating the relationship between reality and representation through nuanced manipulation of the images.
This series attempts to raise open-ended questions in relation to subjectivity, perception, and reflection. I intentionally mixed manipulated images with untouched photos, in an effort to blur even further the boundary between the real and unreal. This process does not only echo my understanding of constructed reality, but also challenges my own position as the creator and narrator."
Terminal Island from Xiaowen on Vimeo.