Li Yongzheng's Desert Narratives at Mart Rovereto
Li Yongzheng (b. 1971, Bazhong, Sichuan) presents 21 works at Mart di Rovereto, spanning performance, video, installation, and painting. The exhibition critiques China's social and political barriers, focusing on ethnic minorities, border control, and pandemic trauma. Key works include 'Laser' (2019), an infrared grid in the Xinjiang desert symbolizing closed borders; 'O Feast' (2021), a banquet with Han and Uyghur participants addressing human rights violations; 'Yes, today' (2017–2022), documenting brutal conditions of ethnic minority youth in Liangshan forced into underground fighting in Chengdu; 'Death Has Been My Dream for a Long Time' (2015), about four young suicides; and 'Death Comes to Us All' (2023), a film on grief and pandemic restrictions. The exhibition runs at Mart di Rovereto, Italy.
Key facts
- Li Yongzheng was born in 1971 in Bazhong, Sichuan province, China.
- The exhibition at Mart di Rovereto includes 21 works.
- 'Laser' (2019) uses an infrared grid in the Xinjiang desert to critique border policies.
- 'O Feast' (2021) features Han and Uyghur people sharing a meal, protesting human rights abuses.
- 'Yes, today' (2017–2022) highlights ethnic minority youth from Liangshan forced into illegal fighting in Chengdu.
- 'Death Has Been My Dream for a Long Time' (2015) addresses suicide among four young people.
- 'Death Comes to Us All' (2023) deals with the death of the artist's father and pandemic restrictions.
- The exhibition includes a boxing ring where visitors can engage in martial arts.
Entities
Artists
- Li Yongzheng
Institutions
- Mart di Rovereto
- Artribune
Locations
- Rovereto
- Italy
- Bazhong
- Sichuan
- China
- Xinjiang
- Liangshan
- Chengdu