THE WORK OF ART IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL IDENTITY

Since 2016, people in China have become addicted to social media, represented by platforms like Tik Tok and Kuaishou. The new entertainment became the foundation of a subculture in China, which is widely called Tuwei (土味) in Chinese. I started my “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Identity” project by creating installations, photographs, and moving images.

The access to social media by everyday people has brought about tremendous change. Social media allows people in China who feel unseen, to create unique digital identities, allowing everyone to witness the value of their existence and the community they belong to. These cultural forms of performance are emotions of resistance and rebellion against mainstream culture and an initiative for diversity and democracy. Tuwei has become the resource for my research in cultural studies, sociology, and even politics.

The digital identities produced online are works of art to me, something that cannot be unseen, even though mainstream ideologies in China try to ban the subcultures and make them return to designated norms. The art related to Tuwei is not just a silly pastime but evidence that reflects China's unseen and rarely heard discontent.

Tuwei is a cultural and social critique.