Wang Bing's Documentary Exhibition at Kunsthalle Zürich Features Two Intimate Portraits

From 8 December to 3 February, Kunsthalle Zürich will showcase two documentaries by Chinese director Wang Bing, as noted in the March 2019 issue of ArtReview. Featured is 'Mrs. Fang' (2018), an extended cut initially presented at Documenta 14 in 2017, alongside 'Man with No Name' (2010). The latter, running for 99 minutes, portrays a man living in basic shelters near Beijing as he grows food. In contrast, 'Mrs. Fang' (102 minutes) captures the titular character on her deathbed, with her family partaking in everyday activities. Both films highlight themes of physical closeness and trust, challenging viewers to confront issues of poverty and inequality, while revealing the disconnect between Western audiences and the subjects, including illegal fishing for European markets.