Teng Ai Exhibition
SETA – Dialogues On Contemporary China

Teng Ai exhibition for SETA Festival – Dialogues on Contemporary China by Orientiamoci in Cina inaugurated last October 9 at Officina Giovani.

The biased narrative about China in the West, seen through the lens of eurocentrism and distorted by exotic charm and stereotypes, is the focus of a reflection proposed by Seta Festival. With a series of lectures, music performances and art shows, the festival aim at raising the awareness of the bias on the perception of China and commits to deconstruct it.

Teng Ai’s (Shandong, China, 1989) artistic practice focuses on the contact between poetry, writing, visual and symbols art, musing on classical Chinese painting and contemporary art, she chooses photography as the medium for her recent productions.

The exhibition, curated by sinologist and art curator Silvia Vannacci, showcases a collection poetry wall written by Chinese first generation of immigrants in the Florence industrial area; and Vacanze Pratesi (lit. Pratesi Holidays ) a playful yet tough reportage of daily life and acted experiences from Italy’s most characteristic Chinatown. Through her artworks Teng portraits a different China from the one she comes from, emphasizing the many ways China can be experienced and giving us a hint of the diverse, complex Chinese realities.