Zhang Peili's Early Video Works Debut in US at Art Institute of Chicago

Zhang Peili's exhibition 'Record. Repeat.' at The Art Institute of Chicago from 31 March to 9 July 2017 presented his early video works for the first time in a US institution. The show featured three structural reedits of scenes from Chinese Cultural Revolution-era films: 'Actor's Lines' (2002), 'Last Words' (2002), and 'Happiness' (2006). 'Actor's Lines' uses fragments from the 1964 film 'Sentries Under Neon Lights', repeating minor gestures and phrases to disrupt the original narrative and highlight power dynamics in body language. 'Last Words' compiles death scenes of heroes from military genre films, slowing and repeating them to expose the phoniness of performances. 'Happiness' is a two-channel work juxtaposing modified speeches from 'In the Shipyard' (1975) with endless clapping by extras, creating absurdity that critiques propaganda. The exhibition was housed in a single black-box room, which limited its visibility and outreach, potentially missing an opportunity to introduce American audiences to significant, seldom-seen work. The curatorial approach might reflect how cultural transitions in China over the past 30 years have gone unseen by many viewers. Zhang Peili is recognized as a seminal avant-garde video artist in China, and his work addresses the impact of the Cultural Revolution on contemporary global politics and nation-state understanding. The review appeared in the Summer 2017 issue of ArtReview Asia.