In this highly anticipated sequel to Children of Marx and Coca-Cola: Chinese Avant-garde Art and Independent Cinema (2010), author Xiaoping Lin continues his rigorous exploration of capitalist globalization and its profound, often dire impact on contemporary Chinese society. Covering visual culture, fine arts, and independent film over the past two decades
An Intimate Glimpse into Chinese Art and Cinema Today examines how leading Chinese artists and filmmakers navigate and confront the complexities of state power, social inequality, and rapid transformation.
Through a series of seven comprehensive chapters and an illuminating postlude, Lin offers close readings of seminal visual texts, shifting from high fashion collaborations to underground political documentaries. The book balances deep thematic analysis with historical context, tracing the evolution of Chinese visual arts from the early 2000s through the authoritarian shifts of the Xi Jinping regime and into the global COVID-19 pandemic era.
Key Features & Chapter HighlightsTradition vs. Modernity: Analyzes video artist Yang Fudong's acclaimed works, including First Spring, a black-and-white film commissioned by the Italian fashion house Prada.
Icons and Soft Power: Investigates the controversial symbolism of the dragon in contemporary culture, politics, and the state's global "soft power" campaigns.
Art as Activism: Features a detailed look at world-renowned artist Ai Weiwei's installations and films amid his tense, direct confrontations with state authorities.
Cinematic Realism and Social Violence: Explores Jia Zhangke's award-winning but banned film A Touch of Sin, examining how independent cinema captures the underlying violence of economic transition.
The Digital Totalitarian State: Reviews the cinema of Vivian Qu (Trap Street and Angels Wear White), highlighting themes of government surveillance, digital control, and police corruption.
The Rise of Chinese Neo-Noir: Probes the growing mainland school of film noir, providing a detailed analysis of Diao Yinan's Black Coal, Thin Ice and The Wild Goose Lake, alongside Dong Yue's The Looming Storm.
Pandemic-Era Dissidence: The concluding postlude details documentary filmmaking during the Wuhan COVID-19 outbreaks (2020-2025), featuring works by Ai Weiwei, Hu Hao, and Yung Chang alongside emerging fashion artist Terrence Zhou.
