Visions of Beijing Xiong'an
Erinn H.
Acrylic paper, sewing needles, sewing thread
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A piece based on Jinping Xi’s pet project to create an auspicious, Beijing-like, sanctuary city in the rural area of Xiong’an. At the end of July of 2023, floods Xiong'an. To protect his vision, Jinping Xi ordered to release stored floodwater, drowning several surrounding rural villages– including the residents. The red thread represents a blueprint of Beijing, elevated above the rest like China’s “Red Nobility.” The string remains nearly untouched, 2D, and idealistic. Similarly, the all-white city of Xiong’an crafted with paper is also seemingly 2D from an aerial view– until light hits like a flood, revealing the stark contrast between unaffected visions and an impacted reality. How untouched do the elite of society remain, even with the power to control those below them? Maps are items that hold natural beauty with the curves and intersections of every road. However, these roads are also artificial, manmade, cruelly carved into the earth.
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I'm helplessly in love with how creativity changes the way I see the world around me, training my eyes to notice and develop unique perspectives. It's given me the ability to find intrigue in every corner– the bizarre, the mundane, the absurd– to constantly question, reimagine, and open my mind.
