Shock Culture
Description:
Shock Culture was a performance by Gu Xiong and Henry Tsang that explored Xiong's experience in moving from China to Vancouver, and establishing his identity as a contemporary artist in Canada. Divided into six sections—Acceptance (immigration), Compromise (housekeeping), Adaptation (TV), Confrontation (superstore), Restriction (basement), and Transgression (soliloquies)—Shock Culture explored cultural isolation, class inequities, communication barriers, and the myth of shared common sense. The live performance involved video projections and content displayed on television monitors, with Diana Li also participating as a performer in the work.
Video documentation is available upon request.
Back to:
Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.
We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.