PERFORMING IS THE NEW FASHION

Photographer: Qi Guan

1. What significant life experiences or events have influenced and shaped your artistic vision?

The pandemic rewrote the language of our lives, and with it, my personal life and artistic vision. It split the world into a pre- and post-. During multiple quarantines, I spent more time with myself — browsing news and information online, thinking and rethinking — which sharpened my senses and elevated my cognition to another level largely. My work recently centers on certain societal themes like identity crises, growing nihilism among Gen Z, and so on specifically during this post-pandemic digital era. The domestic environment profoundly shapes me as well. It is a place where vitality and constraint coexist in uneasy tension. From such a unique setting, the products that emerge are inevitably provocative — always worthwhile to study and showcase. Rooted in these contradictions, I find that certain lifelong influences are inescapable, deeply entwined with who I am. For me, my artistic work has become a window into myself and my surroundings — always considered as a vital medium for storytelling.

2. Collaboration often sparks fresh creativity. Can you share an example of a collaboration that led to an unexpected and exciting artistic outcome?

The collaboration of this project is actually a perfect example. Building on my original idea of sock-on-face makeup to express performative identity, my makeup artist proposed an innovative extension: printing facial features onto semi-transparent tracing paper. During preparation, we faced many obstacles — sourcing the capable printer, grappling with its unsatisfied thickness. When traditional methods failed, we improvised, stitching papers directly onto the sock to enhance the “manufactures” concept we sought to convey. Throughout the challenges, it was the collective act of reimagining, adjusting, and trusting each other’s instincts that successfully brought the concept in an unexpected exactness to life. Besides, how my two models intuitivly performed on set, grounded in their precise understanding of the concept, breathed life into the images and elevated the final outcome beyond expectation.

3. Walk us through a specific project that challenged your creative boundaries. How did you approach it, and what did you learn from the experience?

I’d say the project that really pushed my creative boundaries is the meme series I'm currently working on. It’s an experimental mix of memes and fashion photography — using existing online materials and photoshopping them with my green-backdrop studio shoots. Honestly, I’d wanted to try this for a long time, but I held back, maybe because I stayed too safely inside the "conventional" box. I kept questioning myself — would this even count as fashion photography? Would anyone accept it? But once I finally worked on it and started getting positive feedback, I felt so glad I took the risk. It reminded me that real creativity often comes from stepping outside what feels safe.

4. In the ever-evolving art world, what do you believe sets your work apart and makes it unique or groundbreaking?

I don’t do boring or conventional stuff, or just follow what’s considered “high fashion.” I always want to use my aesthetic and storytelling to challenge the industry. It’s my way of observing, insisting, and unfolding ideas through bold visual language that makes the work provocative. I believe it’s my mindset — the way I see and push things — that sets my work apart. My vision is my weapon, and that’s what keeps my art alive and different in this ever-evolving world.

5. As you reflect on your journey, are there any specific goals or milestones you've set for your artistic career in the coming years?

My biggest goal is to keep pushing my own boundaries — creatively, emotionally, and visually. I want to keep experimenting, to challenge myself with projects that scare me a little, and to reach and comfort audiences who feel related with my work. Collaboration is also something I want to expand — bringing my vision into conversation with other artists even from other industries. I hope one day to build a body of work strong enough to have a solo exhibition or even publish a visual book. But most importantly, I just want to stay honest with myself and let the work evolve naturally.

• story/Description

  Performance is the New Fashion draws from the unique hyper-performative subculture scene of contemporary Chinese social media, where identity is curated and reality becomes a stage. This series explores the tension between authentic and ‘manufactured’ in the digital age, using experimental sock makeup, ultra-wide angle lens, and surreal 2D scenography to create certain sense of twisted and bizzare. Viewers will be invited into a visually rich, reflective spectacle—where performance is not just an act, but a way of being seen.

• Team Credits

  Photographer: Qi Guan

  Model: Huaiying Cai & Wing Lai

  Makeup Artist: Sen

  Stylist: Yuxin Hao

  Set Designer: Wenyigu

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