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Meanwhile in China … Miao Ying and the Rise of Chinternet Ugly

DOI: 10.1162/ARTM_a_00199

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Citation for published version (APA): Holmes, R. (2018). Meanwhile in China … Miao Ying and the Rise of Chinternet Ugly. ARTMargins, 7(1), 31. [26]. https://doi.org/10.1162/ARTM_a_00199

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Download date:09. Oct. 2021 ARTICLE

meANWhiLe iN ChiNA . . . miAo yiNg ANd the rise oF ChiNterNet UgLy ros holmes

Kitsch, self-consciously amateur, unashamedly artless: these might be appropriate descriptions for Meanwhile in China, an online-exhibition series of Internet artworks created by Miao Ying in 2014. Combining GIFs, appropriated advertisements, online videos, and Internet poetry in a torrent of synthesized imagery and text, these works bring together the specter of online censorship and Shanzhai [fake or pirated] aesthet- ics with a deliberate disavowal of the commodity fetishization and online self- posturing that have come to characterize China’s digital realm in the early 21st century.1 Their self-conscious celebration of the amateur and the ugly similarly present a triumphant vision of digital parochialism that is inherently at odds with the avowed international- ism of the new-media art currently emerging from China’s contempo- rary art world.2 In 1994, when China fi rst connected to the World Wide Web, “Chinese” contemporary art was undergoing an unprecedented surge

1 Fang Yi, “Ershiyi shiji yilai woguo qingshaonian wangluo wenti yanjiu shuping” [Research Review of the Problems of Internet Usage among Young People in 21st- Century China], Zhongguo Qingnian Yanjiu [China Youth Research], no. 3 (2006): 65–72. 2 See, for example, the press release for Qi Wu Deng Guan—2014 Guoji Xin Meiti Yishu San Nian Zhan [Thingworld—International Triennial of New-Media Art] (exhibition pre- sented by the National Art Museum of China, June 11–July 6, 2014), www.namoc.org /zsjs/zlzx/201405/t20140526_277449.htm.

© 2018 ARTMargins and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology doi:10.1162/ARTM_a_00199 31 32 artmargins 7:1 assumed distinctly Chinese characteristics.” Chinese distinctly assumed has yet features global has “that Internet an in zations,” resulting moderni one“four as of the technology communications and mation who state, promoted infor Chinese the by recognized clearly been has company Tencent, and search specialists Baidu. company Tencent, specialists search and gaming and social-media Alibaba, giant e-commerce world, including the in companies top Internet ten ofmobile four the phone and users, Internet 695 million micro-bloggers, million 297 users, lion Internet mil to 731 but also system, gallery and museum ever-expanding to an world,Today, economy home second the largest not in the is only China market. domestic invigorated on an capitalizing online, expansion market’s art the broadband China’srollouts facilitated sis, aggressive economy world’s apotheo its from the reached had art fastest-growing for works of demand that when it seemed 2000s, mid Bythe million. one reached users York, New Internet in Chinese Guggenheim the and P.S.1, Society, Asia at the China—opened of Twentieth-Century Art the Tradition and in Modernity Crisis: in ACentury and Art Chinese New but also extend to the more pernicious aspects of online censorship, of online aspects more to the pernicious extend but also websites, of Chinese features linguistic and cultural encompass the 5 4 3 to Western neoliberalism. counterimage amarketable as from “elsewhere” art this of the otherness worked toquently affirm fre nevertheless that auniversality promoting equation, side of the component weaker from the to “Chinese” remove sought the ments develop these center/periphery dynamics, pre-existing destabilizing at aprocess In aimed houses. auction and museums, biennials, tional of interna undertow tectonic the into thrust suddenly was countries marginalized from previously art which in of globalization, gencies exi of up access the by opened geographies new economy the by and burgeoning country’s the by both 1990s, galvanized the throughout steadily grew demand This arena. artistic global the in demand in 5, no. 1 (March 2012): 49–54. 2012): 1(March no. 5, Communication of Journal Chinese Globalization,” and Practice, History, Internet? “A Yang, Chinese Guobin /hlwtjbg/201701/P020170123364672657408.pdf. www.cnnic.net.cn/hlwfzyj/hlwxzbg 2017, January (CNNIC), Center Information Network Internet China the by provided Report], Statistics Development Internet China 39th [The baogao” tongji zhuangkuang fazhan wangluo hulian Zhongguo ci 39 “Di 46–51. 2013): 1(Spring no. 2, Bulletin Artl@s Significance,” Historic Art of Geography the and Art Contemporary Rules? Whose “By Brzyski, Anna The economic benefit of fostering communications technology technology communications of economicfostering benefit The In 1998, the same year in which major exhibitions—Inside Out: Out: major exhibitions—Inside which in year same 1998,In the 5 These characteristics characteristics These 4 3 - - - - ­ - - - to weave and guard an expanding filtered web.” filtered expanding an to weave guard and managed so far has Beijing rulers, autocratic dom undermines and free sides with Internet the that predictions techno-utopian prevailing society. authoritarian an in Internet adoption of the widespread consequences of the artistic and cultural, political, of the terms in aparadox presented has realm digital embrace government’s of the Chinese the ascendancy, unparalleled to an arc adevelopmental traces sphere thus online country’s the and the country’s intellectuals and artists to circumvent its restrictions restrictions its to circumvent artists and intellectuals country’s the recently, to enable until porousenough, remaining while legitimacy, CCP’s to the of inimical websites deemed of thousands tens blocks that membrane semipermeable the Great Firewall, so-called to the thanks Internet in China.” in Internet to the opposed as Internet, Chinese about the to talk necessary, it now is possible, even that extent to the become domesticated “has China in Internet how the illustrate sinicizations these collectively, control. Viewed of political contingencies the and surveillance, Internet 7 6 Browser-based (GIFs, video-sharingwebsite,stillimage).Imagecourtesyoftheartist. Miao Ying.Haoai,ganjuebuhuizaileile好爱,感觉不会再累了[SoinLove,WillNeverFeel TiredAgain],2014. As recent scholarship has been quick to point out, “Defying such such “Defying out, to point quick been has recent scholarship As Goldstein, and Guobin Yang (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016), 29. Press, Pennsylvania of University (Philadelphia: Yang Guobin and Goldstein, China aChanging and Media Social Internet, The in China,” in Authoritarianism and Society, (Un)Civil Internet, the of Coevolution “The Jiang, Min 49. Internet?,” “AYang, Chinese 6 While the coevolution of the Chinese art world art Chinese coevolution of the the While 7 It has achieved this this It achieved has , ed. Jacques deLisle, Avery Avery deLisle, Jacques , ed. - 33 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 34 artmargins 7:1 history of art, particularly a singular story of art, possible.” of art, story asingular particularly of art, history of a constitution the made that oneacts of the been always place has its in Other the “putting hierarchies: historical art ment of established entrench the in resulting over others, veins narrative reinforce certain to served has knowledge” of “pre-existent forms of these operation the of Global Comparisons,” Art “The with dealing article an in remarked Clunas Craig As art. contemporary on Chinese writings in persist to continue they as just China, in Internet the regarding scholarship autocracy,” versus have comenon-Chinese to define democracy “media repression,” versus and of speech “freedom “access restriction,” versus Zhang Ga, “is primarily experienced via browsers and computer and browsers net via experienced primarily “is Ga, Zhang to according that, art art—namely Internet “Chinese” contemporary biases. and concerns societal and political own of our terms in intelligible country different from a (and technology) art to make efforts with sit comfortably often it promotes that of knowledge asymmetries the but because teleology Cold War with it chimes not because only persists liberation political to economic and bound development inextricably as artistic Chinese of contemporary portrayal the that world, appear it would art tized media of today’s advancements hyper-networked, technological the 10 9 8 (VPNs). networks private help of virtual the with efforts to redefine itself as a benign 21st-century superpower. 21st-century benign as a itself to redefine efforts country’s the as well as economic dominance over China’s growing ties anxie mounting to quell done has little characteristics,’” Chinese with of ‘cyber- on apath LuWei “traveling to as referred czar” “Internet former sovereignty, which ment’s of cyber avowed policy flow,the govern information to curb boundaries new builds tinuously 2013), 165. 2013), Press, University Oxford (Oxford: Berg Maxine ed. Century, 21st the for Challenges Global: the of History the Writing in Comparisons,” Global of Art “The Clunas, Craig /2016–04/28/c_1118761681.htm. 27,www.cac.gov.cn 2016, April posted China, of Administration Cyberspace Communities], FateCyberspace of the Steer to World of Powers Responsibility [The gongtongti” mingyun kongjian wangluo jian gong zeren daguo Wei, “Dandang Lu bit.ly/2lV32d0. Post Morning China South February,” by Accounts VPN Personal All on Ban Orders Reportedly “Beijing See 2018. 1, February by VPNs to access uals’ individ block to carriers telecommunications told government Chinese the 2017, July In In this context, it is hardly surprising that the same binaries, of binaries, same the that surprising it hardly is context, this In How, then, to deal with the perceived double bind of producing double perceived of bind the producing How, with to deal then, 8 As state power con power state As , July 11, 2017, http:// 2017, 11, , July governance ­governance 10 Despite Despite 9 - - - - - ­ - embraced and brought to greater critical and curatorial attention. curatorial and critical to greater brought embraced and fully been technologies of digital potential the 1980s has the in nantly predomi born of generation artists the with only scene, arguably yet art contemporary country’s on the Internet of the impact the examine to sought Chen Shaoxiong, and Yilin Lin fromto Dong Song ­figures, circumstances. tional institu and economic, political, of social, acomplex mix ated through medi been has Internet of the impact artistic the process, onewhich in social and ecology media larger amuch in outset from the embedded been has country the within practices art of Internet rise the initiatives, power soft of government-sponsored alongline in latest the as ments within China. within practices art of Internet visibility the to amplify served inevitably has for art, net prize of amajor 2014 in international inauguration the and art, of such circulation and display to the dedicated of galleries emergence the alongside academies, China’s in major art departments eration of the ugly and the artless evident in the works of Liang Shuo, works of Liang the in evident artless the and ugly oferation the ven the and of Ye Tianzhuo; Chen and aesthetics Funa pop celebratory LuYang; and the of Shen Xin reality augmented the programs; ware soft standard and materials of founddigital Ke’sLin manipulations (Aaajiao)’s, Xu Wenkai Wang Yuyang’s,including Jin Ningning’s, and art, or new-media by “post-Internet” influenced artists oftion Chinese genera emerging an among situated frequently is Ying’sMiao practice works” 14 14 13 12 11 rate technical ensembles”? rate technical elabo by affected and of, involvement aworld or deep in, transformed As early as 2000, exhibitions featuring an array of established of established array an featuring exhibitions 2000, as early As November 30, 2000). 30, November 1– October Beijing, Online, Beida by presented (exhibition China] Art, Sex—Internet Third [The Zhongguo Yishu. Wangluo Xing San Di 2000); 12, 8–February January Changchun, Arts, Fine of Academy Jinlin the by presented (exhibition 2000] Art Photo and Video Internet, [China Yishu Yingxiang Sheying Wangluo Zhongguo Nian 2000 Rhizome. and Laboratory Media Science and Art Tsinghua the with collaboration in established nally origi was Art] Net [Prix dajiang” yishu wangluo “Guoji The art. media of study and ation, cre presentation, the to dedicated organization art nonprofit first China’s is and 2013 in established was Center Art Chronus 2001. in founded both were Beijing in Center Art Media New Loft the and Hangzhou in Center Media New Art’s of Academy China The 25. 2011), NAi, (Rotterdam: Art Talk Net Let’s Nettitudes: Bosma, Josephine https://cn.prix-netart.org. Mission], Prize Art Net [Prix shiming” pingjiang dajiang yishu wangluo “Guoji Ga, Zhang 11 or, Bosma’s Josephine in words, “created is awareness from an 13 While it is perhaps prudent to regard these develop to regard these prudent it perhaps is While 12 The recent establishment of new-media of new-media recent establishment The 14

------35 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 36 artmargins 7:1 surrounding the perennially sensitive issues of online censorship, of online issues sensitive perennially the surrounding about assumptions reveal aesthetics her celebration ofdoes Chinternet what And realm? of China’s online limitations so-called the glorifying recesses of the Chinternet. ofrecesses the creative the in proliferates that imagery copy-and-paste of the posing repur eclectic an and web design, “dirt-style” old school aesthetics, favor in of lo-fi mastery technical eschewing Miao’s in revels practice Chinternet Plus Ying’s 2016 work Chinternet Miao in (as seen culture of China’s facets online contradictory and complex the not confronts only practice their media, onselves social parallel at adept maintaining technology, digital mass up with grown 18 17 16 15 Guohe. Yefu, Liao and Liu Xiao, Guan capitalizing on the popularity of social-media platforms. of social-media popularity on the capitalizing initiatives artistic innovative other and WeChat galleries, exhibitions, online navigating to andare who of accustomed photovalences filters, GIFs and the memes, WeChat and stickers, of Internet aesthetics the conversant with who fully are collectors and oftion gallery-goers genera ayounger audience among have foundareceptive artists these forms. physical and of digital hybridization the through life of contemporary nature mediated ingly so-called Internet with Chinese characteristics. Chinese with Internet so-called Internet the and China of aportmanteau is Chinternet neologism The 2017). PS1, MoMA and .com/.cn (K11 2016); and Foundation, Art (K11 Space 2015); Hack Shanghai, (OCAT Y Generation of Ballad The 2014); (UCCA, Post-Internet Art 2013); (UCCA, Practice and Concept in Artists ON/OFF: Young China’s include artists these on focusing exhibitions Selected activities. online Center’s Art Chronus and WeChat; for designed gallery virtual 文化 Wenhuaguan www.netize.net; include initiatives online Such (UCCA). 2017 and Art China, Normal: New The of part as Beijing in exhibited later was and Museum New the and Rhizome by commissioned originally was installation Plus.”The “Internet initiative big-data its cally specifi initiatives, cybersecurity government’s the satirize and Firewall” “Great the ence refer that texts wall and collages found-video featuring installation an is Plus Chinternet 后网 Yishu Wangluo Hou as Chinese into transliterated was term The http://post-inter.net. Post-Internet Art Peckham, Robin and Archey Karen also See 2015). Press, MIT MA: (Cambridge, Century Twenty-First the in Internet the and Art Effect: Mass eds., Halter, Ed and Cornell Lauren See production. artistic on technologies worked net of impact the summarize to employed frequently itis debate, scholarly much elicited has that term Acontentious 2010. September and 2009 December between activity its Internet Post blog critical the in McHugh Gene by further developed and Olson Marisa artist the by coined first was “post-Internet” term the that agree accounts Most In contrast to the sleek aesthetics of many new-media artists, artists, new-media of many aesthetics sleek to the contrast In Already the focus of several major exhibitions and group shows, and major exhibitions of several focus the Already 络艺术 . 18 Why has Miao chosen to work in this style, style, to work this in chosen Miao Why has ) 16 but also interrogates the increas the interrogates but also 15 As the first generation to have to generation first the As , pdf exhibition catalog catalog exhibition , pdf [Culture Pavilion], a Pavilion], 馆 [Culture , reflecting this this , reflecting 17 , during , during ­ - - - - - beyond the contours of existing scholarship, especially in relation to relation in especially scholarship, contours of existing beyond the culture online with engagements of artists’ examination the ening from broad gained to be is spaces, much my contention that is digital Garbage works: of her online two in web’s vernacular look Chinese Miao’sat theembrace Ifirst of self-conscious article, this In divides? digital by tensions wrought the and democracy, media 19 analyses.” deeper for internet—call Chinese of the activities market and policies, tions, institu surface—the of this aspects since“many especially of China, surface of the analyses in-depth entail approach also may “deep-China” a because significance added assumes inquiry Guobin Yang notes, this As freedom. of cost political at the promotedhas economic ascendancy Model,” which China of “The impact human the and nation; and class, of representation, ofpolitics censorship; the effects psychological the outsourcing; consequences of neoliberal the including nomic concerns, eco and socio-political to probe deeper ameans as contrived the and counterfeit of the reappraisal unapologetic an offers Miao ineffectual, as inquiry of surface type this dismiss may many While cations. impli critical masking subterfuge of winking work akind as ­artist’s the humor deployed is throughout that Iargue censorship regime, China’s condemned have rightly that critics against of resistance ture be as a read ges could culture of online aspects superficial ostensibly community. online world’s from the emerging largest creativity of vernacular value the reasserting by realm about preconceptions China’s online ­destigmatize to attempt read an be as can anti-aesthetic Miao’swhether distinct Finally, Iexamine society. Chinese on contemporary technologies mobile and networked, of digital, impact dramatic possible the made by have been artworks how these of images,” Iexplore “poor circulation global to the relation in culture employment from popular of elements Miao’s Placing humorous often aesthetics. of Shanzhai rise the and meme Diaosi the as such discourses emergence ofthe countercultural to relation direct in them reading strictures, state and insularity, ism, parochial Chinternet’s the of upheld signifiers emblematic as usually (Copenhagen: NIAS Press, 2015), 14. 2015), Press, NIAS (Copenhagen: Internet Contested China’s ed., Yang, Guobin Dissecting the multifaceted and complex dimensions of complex China’s and dimensions multifaceted the Dissecting While Miao’s studied political ambivalence and celebration and of ambivalence Miao’spolitical While studied . I examine these works’ recontextualization of visual elements elements of visual works’ recontextualization these . Iexamine 19 and and Poem Love LAN iPhone iPhone ­ - - - - - 37 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 38 artmargins 7:1 series is no exception. In these works, these In no is exception. series Poem Love LAN the then issues, of existing humorous parodies references order and in to construct als sphere. China’s online regarding assumptions some abiding of the to examine stereotypes meme’s the appropriated of deployment cultural satirically Miao’s China in Meanwhile services. aggregation and blog networks, sites, board on image to repost afavorite material world, itthe became 21 21 20 2014. in Netizenet by hosted exhibition, adopted for Miao’s title the was solo online Again Tired Feel Never Will Love, .So in China in works, Meanwhile online eight Comprising Love Poem LAN borders. beyond its and China within both art, of Internet reception and evaluation cal criti condition the still that elisions and spots some blind ofreveal the to hopefully so doing, in and up set Western precedent, by have been that practices art for Internet frameworks theoretical the work against of this functions and intents artistic to read the furthermore is my goal framework, global accounta comparative of Miao’s awider work within out sketching In dominate. still Internet of the potential the regarding arguments determinist where technologically and utopian China, occupation, or subculture. occupation, nationality, ethnicity, of a certain stereotypical as identified were easily that situations absurd and ridiculous of illustrating ameans as tion cap and employment its of asimple picture through popularity gained The 2010.memein in Australia online circulated first meme, which X” in “Meanwhile reference original ironic and to the aplayful is China Miao’s difference. in Meanwhile of cultural culture for avisual appetite the and power symbolic in on differences thrives often meme culture economy attention of how the highlighted memes, but also Internet for fodder primary often are that clichés cultural mented on the http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/meanwhile-in. Database, Meme Internet Definitive The Your Meme: atKnow found be can Examples 2015). 22, 9–November May Biennale, Venice atthe Pavilion Chinese the for Center Art Chronus by online presented World (exhibition Cyber the of Folklore in featured also were works the of Several erfinal?q=%40thedeadpixelofmyeye+%23yingmiaomeanwhile. athttp://newhive.com/thedeadpixelofmyeye/meanwhilepost online viewed be can bition exhi The NewHive. platform publishing multimedia the with collaboration in Netize.net archive online the by commissioned and Proksell Michelle by curated was exhibition The If memes often rely on a combination of visual and textual materi textual and rely on acombination memesIf often of visual 21 Spreading rapidly to Internet users around around users to Internet rapidly Spreading 20 The exhibition not com only exhibition The - - - - - foreground. Miao in fact appropriated these “poems” from the QQ QQ from the “poems” these appropriated fact in Miao ­foreground. the space flat of the into intrusion their accentuates that typography GIF three-dimensional animated in delineated poems,” purposefully from “Internet excerpts projects Miao visuals these However, against expression. creative therefore devoid and of meaningful any ­sterility, of point aspace censored to the wasteland, but abarren nothing is China in Internet the that misconception on the commentary wry snow. in shrouded landscapes wintry and tumbleweeds; amidst for carrion scavenging crows replete with skies blood-red brooding, ruins; of classical remains the with tered scat scenes sand-swept including environments, of deserted a variety 22 22 landscapes of Internet eight-bit abackground by framed are screenshots These of China. Great enforced the by tions Firewall circumscrip of the reminders displayed,” visual can’t be page “This not is webpage available,” or server,” to the “This can’t connect “Safari aVPN: using without China from Mainland to access them seek when users appear automated that messages usual the complete with Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, and sored websites, including of cen ascreenshot features image Each sovereignty. forquest cyber country’s the to address trope China in Meanwhile employsMiao the GIF animation,5,000∞2,812pixels,16:9.Imagecourtesyoftheartist. 一路火花带内电 [LANLovePoem—HoldingaKitchenKnifeCutInternetCable, aRoadwithLightningSparks],2014. Miao Ying.Juyuwangqingshi—Shounacaidaokanwangxian,yiluhuohuadaineidian局域网情诗-手拿菜刀砍网线, memory addresses, or other data units that contain at most eight bits (1 byte). bits eight atmost contain that units data other or addresses, ­memory integers, eight-bit to refers landscape Internet eight-bit an architecture, computer In The synthesis of these two visuals could be interpreted as a as interpreted be could visuals two of these synthesis The 22 that depict depict that - - - 39 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 40 artmargins 7:1 Kind of Beauty]. Kind 思念是 meili de bieyang shi Sinian and Burned], Gets Cigarette the Matches, with Love in Fall Cigarettes 香烟 shanghai bei jiu zhuding huochai, aishang Sparks],Xiangyan Lightning Cable, aRoad with Internet 手拿菜刀砍网 dian nei dai huohua yilu wangxian, kan caidao na Shou online: culate humorous embodiments of Chinglish humorous embodiments as appear texts of these translations poor intentionally the English, and 25 25 24 23 Wangmin [netizens]. of other ­signatures Missed IsAnotherKindofBeauty],2014.GIFanimation,5,000∞2,812pixels,16:9.Imagecourtesytheartist. Miao Ying.Juyuwangqingshi—Sinianshibieyangdemeili局域网情诗-思念是别样的美丽[LANLovePoem—To Be course of Chinglish represents larger geopolitical anxieties about anxieties geopolitical larger represents of Chinglish course dis the Chinese, by or inflected considered nonstandard to be English sociocultural processes and concerns. and processes sociocultural of set awider illuminate of Chinglish dynamics the that given cially 669–88. 5(2010): no. 39, Society in Language Code,” aStigmatized of Enregisterment the and Learners Language Speakers, Native ‘Chinglish’: of “Interpretations Henry, Steven Eric language. Chinese the by influenced macaronically Engrish as known also Chinglish, chat. voice and group and movies, microblogging, shopping, music, games, online including services, interlinked of avariety offers version current the messaging, instant to addition In network. social ubiquitous first China’s itbecame quickly and QQ, OICQ of name the under 1999 in February China in released first was application This messenger. instant QQ its around built originally was which company, Internet largest China’s Tencent is The inclusion of the Chinglish texts here is not arbitrary, espe here not is arbitrary, texts Chinglish of the inclusion The 线 , 一路火花 Cut 带内电 Knife aKitchen [Holding , refers to spoken or written English language that is is that language English written or spoken to , refers 别样的美丽 [To Is Another Missed Be 爱上火柴 25 24 Often used to derogatively label label to derogatively used Often expressions that frequently cir frequently that expressions 23 Displayed in both Chinese Chinese both in Displayed , 就注定被 [When 伤害 [When - - - formulas of mainstream media and the increasing professionalization professionalization increasing the and media of mainstream formulas safe bland, the critique to effectively section) following the in cussed Ugly (dis of Chinternet style aesthetic digital employs Miao the of art. level to the anti-aesthetic of this elevation the and poetics, of Chinglish ahumorous reappraisal work local, acelebration represents ofthe the Facebook, of access or to Google, YouTube, denial the or decrying ing of the imposition of global linguistic and cultural conventions. cultural and linguistic of global imposition of the arepudiation offers sphere but also China’s online typify that teristics charac unique the to define not serves only Internet Chinese ofics the aesthet localized to the paean Miao’s platforms. visual China’s online of nature whimsical and low-tech often the as well as replication, and of creation its nature ephemeral the and absurdity original text’s celebrates Miao the idiolect, of Internet form distinct this replicating and Byisolating mutable contextless. and unsettlingly is everything images: surrounding of the aesthetic visual the mimics ways many in text of the dialect the that ensures portal, retail online China’s largest of aesthetics gimmicky the by inspired typeface red-and-gold catching nationalism and modernization in a global context. aglobal in modernization and nationalism 28 28 27 26 communication. Miao’scommunication. Taobao choice of the font, 3-D of online structures power of the short-circuiting reinforces this thus of censored screenshots, background incongruous the against other code. syntactical as of Chinglish legitimacy of the are-evaluation into translated has arena international the in Chinese confidence of linguistic growing how the highlights authority, Miao’s of work lexical position to anewfound subordination from asite of linguistic Chinglish power. Byraising semiotic texts’ the of areversal however, enacts screen, Miao the across dance rotate and continually text Chinglish the and Chinese of the typography animated area network, area China as “Da Zhonghua Juyuwang” [The Great Chinese LAN]. Chinese Great [The Juyuwang” Zhonghua “Da as China in available Internet the of version monitored filtered, the to refer frequently Netizens Group. Alibaba the by operated is and China in shopping online for website largest the Taobao is 183–85. 9(2009): no. Opening], and [Reform kaifang yu Gaige Reuters], on Chinglish from English Chinese Differentiating of Necessity the of Discussion Brief Battle—A ANecessary Chinglish: [Eliminating xing” biyao de yingyu Zhongguo he yingyu zhongshi qufen tan qian xiaoxi ze yi she lutou zhang-jiu zhi da bi chang Yi yingyu: zhongshi “Saochu Xin, Wang LAN Love Poem Love work LAN the By titling The text’s appearance in both languages, floating next to each each to next floating languages, both in appearance text’s The 28 Miao makes it abundantly clear that, far from lament far that, clear it abundantly makes Miao , where LAN stands for local for local stands , where LAN 26 By making the the Bymaking 27 a visually eye- avisually - - - - 41 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 42 artmargins 7:1 characteristics quite distinct from its non-Chinese counterparts. non-Chinese from its distinct quite characteristics social or developed Ebay, fact comparedously in to Amazon but has Taobao, as errone such often is platforms which of commercial nature and dozens of mobile apps. This diversification has also been facilitated facilitated been also has diversification of dozens mobile apps.and This portals, entertainment and news ads, online gaming, social and online e-commerce, in interests Tencent,vices. significant has for example, ser digital of interlinked array avast into expansion facilitating thus and them within embedded to be media of social features enabling development, hybrid Taobao), have prioritized others and Baidu, owns Tencent, (which web giants Alibaba Chinese providers, online 29 29 language. pictorial favor in of eroded auniversal gradually are tions varia regional which in “global” Internet, of the standardization and All Fallen, BirdsFar Gone], 2014.GIFanimation,5,000∞2,812pixels,16:9.Imagecourtesyoftheartist. Miao Ying.Juyuwangqingshi—Hualuojin,niaofeijue局域网情诗-花落尽,鸟飞绝[LANLovePoem—Flowers expanding architecture. expanding of continuously its confines the within to happy remain are inhabitants online country’s of the majority vast West, the the in envisaged anything exceed currently that services interlinked and capabilities of digital range a offering companies and tech China, beforein as never flourishing media mass the and technology information ones. With commercial and of linguistic but also divides, or democratic sequence not of only digital con with—a low to begin often is China sites within foreign in interest domestic that paradox the acknowledges Poem Love sphere, LAN online [Frontiers], no. 10 (2015): no. 52–63. [Frontiers], Luntan Renmin Economy], China’s of Form Future the and [“Internet+” xingtai” weilai de jingji Zhongguo yu “‘Hulianwang+’ Qiping, Jiang In a marked departure from the Western model of single-purpose of single-purpose Western model from the departure amarked In of ephemera China’s diverse of the amalgamation an Offering 29 thus accentuates the distinct distinct the accentuates thus Poem Love LAN - - - - power to create its own sphere of influence over network norms. sphere over network of own influence toits create power the one center ofwith gravity, online own its becoming effectively is country the that ensures China in users volume sheer of Internet the Miao’s how systems. accentuates work thus sophisticated its among “captive” users keeps successfully one that infrastructure, online of its fluidity and vastness acondition the by enabled distraction, also but control restriction, not censorship and is just oftem information of China’s sys centerpiece real more the monitor. reliably aresult, As it can that of communication methods toward users herd Internet its to effectively government Chinese enables the that asituation frontiers, beyond China’s digital venture rarely they that to ensure companies local by mature—choices sufficiently sufficient—and offered are users mobile and netizens Chinese companies, Silicon Valley–dominated navigating the Web,” the navigating of association free aleatory the via connections subjective of impromptu, pursuit “the via searches and discoveries online of their archive visual developments.” communicative and commercial of personal, of fusion anew part simply as media on commerce, social see media we should of social for autonomous an looking effect than rather that above suggests the “All of highlighted, has recent research As platforms. of social-media monetization amore in effective resulted has which wallets”), “digital to as referred (often services, payment development of online the by 32 32 31 30 so powerful that the hostage gradually falls in love with them.” love in with falls gradually hostage the that so powerful become rules, the who makes person the kidnapper, the sees ronment, envi isolated an in occurs of love, which type This trauma. dent on the you become depen that in syndrome, of Stockholm case or achronic abad of, lover you can’t rid like get is “Censorship Internet: Chinese the approach to syndrome her Stockholm to as referred what she in has tion of limita psychology the exploring China, in searches ness of Internet wangdelangmanguanxizhongguowangminminjianjingshendengluniuyue-36851. News Artnet York], New in Arrives Netizens Chinese of Spirit The Internet: the with Relationship Romantic Ying’s [Miao Niuyue” denglu jingshen minjian wangmin Zhongguo guanxi: langman de hulianwang yu Ying “Miao Jingyin, Chen in quoted Ying, Miao 439. 2012): (September Artforum Media,” New and Art Contemporary Divide: “Digital Bishop, Claire 2016), 93. Press, UCL (London: Media Social Changed World the How al., et Miller Daniel Contrary to Claire Bishop’s assertion of artists’ desires toa create desires Bishop’s of artists’ to Claire assertion Contrary its with “global Internet,” of the ecosystems digital the Rejecting , July 2, 2016, https://www.artnetnews.cn/art-world/miaoyingyuhulian 2016, 2, , July 30 31 Miao satirizes the bounded the satirizes Miao Poem Love LAN in 32 - - - - - 43 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 44 artmargins 7:1 threats to its stability, secures many netizens’ continued complacency. continued netizens’ many secures stability, to its threats of potential any wary constantly state, the that ensures that promise com amoral paranoia, choose few participation, easy and vigilance paranoid achoice In between monitored be tracked. and can activity your which in of ways variety of aware the constantly forpaid being is price psychological Miao’swhat not, asignificant is that work attests and whatpermissible is between line unknowable often and unknown the of traversing implications disciplinary of the wary from those of self-censorship acts engenders automatically one state, that veillance ric of a “civilized Internet” and the promotion of the harmony,” and “online Internet” of a“civilized ric rheto state complicit the in of crypto-nationalist, some is kind artist the thathowever, suggest, not does This spaces. offline and China’s online between navigate they as strictures state evade continually must that a community users, China’s of Internet thepart on ingenuity infinite necessitate they because empowering, be paradoxically can constraints creative that asserts Miao restrictions, and of limitations born tiveness inven an Articulating culture. of online resourcefulness and liveliness, sociability, the highlights it also control, ironically to political Internet ders—can function as a social, ideological, or cultural tool of self- or cultural ideological, asocial, as function ders—can bor beyond its but also China, within just Internet—not the which to extent Her work the therefore questions conditioning. psychological of aform as use of Internet reality insidious one argue, could and, ous West, favor more in the of and the ambigu China between relationship unequal the in imbrication ineluctable its with restriction,” versus of access of “freedom hierarchy power and epistemological the ing of reject ameans She so as does Internet. Chinese to the foundational as seen is that of restriction theparadigm of integration confident and eclectic an advocates artist the pro-system, nor unashamedly cultural counter entirely neither frequently are to censorship,responses which of heterogeneity the Emphasizing society. control versus sus or state ver of resistance to asimple story Internet of the history to reduce the refuse works that producing by culture, about China’s online thinking of ways reductive and dichotomous challenges she directly that rather 33 28, no. 1 (2014): 47–67. 1(2014): no. 28, Information China Harmony,” for Crab River Type China? in Discourse and Language Official “Subverting Richaud, Lisa and Nordin Astrid See censorship. and propaganda state of a feature as regarded widely is discourse official Chinese in [harmony] Hexie and [civility] Wenming of promotion The While While asur in of living effects dystopian even despondent, the Exposing thus exposes the vulnerability of the Chinese Chinese of the vulnerability the exposes thus Poem Love LAN - 33 ­ but ------Internet Ugly Aesthetic.” Internet The Shit: “It’s Like Supposed to Look article titled provocatively his in topic more extensively this memes, explored on Internet Culture meme, which has grown 屌丝 grown has meme, which Diaosi the self-fashioning—namely of online form Chinese on adistinctly heavily draws addition in China. in culture Internet over mainstream into crossed successfully have already Porn,” of which many Earth “Shitty parody Earth Google rage comics, rage from references range Douglas Ugly that of Internet examples Visual platforms designed to maximize our time within their walls. their within time our to maximize designed platforms by supplanted been largely has of information network decentralized and from site to site anonhierarchical have created where hyperlinks Web notion of awide-open idealized the that given empowerment, 36 36 35 34 sleek. professional, and integrated, less globally was Internet the when for era an affection anostalgic accentuates Web She thus design. of tools “advanced” homogenized over paved the by being is that a frontier Internet, early of the vitality messy and aesthetic amateur celebrates the rather, but, not mock does love poems Internet and typography, mated Taobao landscapes, eight-bit ani 3-D her employment of rudimentary ugly, to the kitsch to the banal from the range frequently manifestations user-generated content, whose visual of mainstream value and merit artistic to the attention doomed to obsolescence. is Drawing technology Poem Love LAN In Chi meant to smooth and beautify, using them to muss and distort.” to mussand them using beautify, and meant to smooth tools Photoshop, It exploits Autocorrect. and correcting blemish ents, world gradi of smooth online upon an of humanity messy imposition “an as photo manipulation rough and glitches, human-made spelling, and combine grammar elements poor whose visual amateurish, the sloppy acelebration and of the meme culture, through running thetic n ragecollection.com. http:// See MS Paint. as such software drawing simple with created often are that faces,” “rage as to referred sometimes characters, with comics web are comics Rage 315. Shit,” Like Look to Supposed “It’s Douglas, 314–39. 2014): 3(December no. 13, Culture Visual of Journal Aesthetic,” Ugly Internet The Shit: Like Look to Supposed “It’s Douglas, Nick Journal of Visual Visual of Journal of issue the for aspecial writing Douglas, Nick Miao’s work creates a similar, “Chinternet Ugly” aesthetic, which which aesthetic, Ugly” Miao’s “Chinternet work asimilar, creates ter n et Ug et 36 to the popular Reddit blog “Shitty Watercolor,” blog “Shitty Reddit popular to the l , Miao locates an abject beauty in the way that modern modern that way the in beauty abject an locates , Miao y an d Onl 34 as a definable aes adefinable as Ugly Internet He defines i n e “Losers” 35

- - - 45 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 46 artmargins 7:1 simultaneous self-mockery and self-affirmation. and self-mockery simultaneous of groupaform as embraced this by been ironically has phone—that Shanzhai and clothes, cheap Internet, to the jobs, addiction dead-end their by distinguished status, of people lower social young denigrate to coined loser”—originally for a“self-deprecating term aderisive is thet of Diaosi thet epi It self-ascribed embraces society. the of mainstream fringes on the loser” “cultural self-declared the venerating and aesthetics amateur ing celebrat by online, experience collectively people Chinese ordinary that Gao fu shuai 高富 shuai fu Gao to the image 38 38 37 ­ in 41 41 40 39 quo. status the prevailing defies that culture online scatological a prevalent of instantiation and an technology,”theof is memeauthority, defiance spontaneity, roots humor, by subversion, grass revelry, characterized amount of scholarly attention. of scholarly amount E’gao as characterized practices of genre grassroots emerging of an read part as promise of upward social mobility. ofpromise social upward its with Dream, Chinese of the rhetoric the whounderdogs reject urban of self-perceived aclass for generation: China’s Internet inary imag agalvanizing as emerged also meme has Diaosi the youth, fected popularity since it first emerged online in China in 2012. in China in emerged online sinceit first popularity 40 Zhang Huiyi, “‘Diaosi’: Diaosi xianxiang yu dangxia Zhongguo wenhua” [‘ wenhua” Zhongguo dangxia yu xianxiang Diaosi “‘Diaosi’: Huiyi, Zhang 5–8. 1(2013): Study] Youth Yanjiu [China Qingnian Zhongguo Meme], Diaosi the of Implication and Popularity the of Analysis [An fenxi” ji yiyun liuxing “Diaosi Qiping, Huang and Haijun Dong duce China as a great cultural power through creativity and innovation. and creativity through power cultural agreat as China duce pro to is state the of goal important an which in rejuvenation, national of continuation ideological an is Dream Chinese the 2012, late in Xi Jinping President by stated Officially 33–51. 2011): 7, 1(April no. Communication and Media Global Internet,” Chinese the on Discourse Political Alternative as EGao Horse: Mud Grass to Bun Steamed “From Bingchun, Meng also See .chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2006-07/22/content_646887.htm. Daily China Work Pressure,” Ease Help Can “Parody Qing, Huang 259–75. 2014): 2(July no. 28, Information China Netizens,” Young Disillusioned for Feeling’ of ‘Structures as Memes Internet: China’s of ‘Losers’ “The Szablewicz, Marcella 197–214; 37, 2(2014): no. Society & Culture Media, Internet,” China’s on Intimacy Cultural and Identity-Making Tropes, “ Wang, Xuan and Tang, Lijun Yang, Peidong 40; 138– 5(2013): no. Tribune], [Jianghan luntan Jianghan Language], Online of Orientations Value the into Point Entry an as Diaosi Spoofs: Online or Virtue between [Choosing quxiang” jiazhi de yongyu wangluo kan e’gao: ruxuan You yu ‘diaosi’ shan “Ze Sisi, Li 1(2015): 95–101. no. Review], [Masterpieces xinshang Mingzuo Culture], Chinese Contemporary and Phenomenon Diaosi The culture pokes fun at the sociopolitical problems and malaise problems malaise and sociopolitical at the fun pokes culture Diaosi More than just an uncouth caricature generated by China’s by generated disaf caricature uncouth an just More than , or “online parody,” which has recently attracted aconsiderable , or parody,” “online attracted recently has which 矮矬 qiong cuo , Ai 39 [the tall, rich, and handsome]—those handsome]—those and rich, tall, 帅 [the Defining “a popular subculture that is that subculture popular “a Defining [short, ugly, and poor], as acounter ugly,as poor], 穷 [short, and 41 as Infrapolitics: Scatological Scatological Infrapolitics: as Diaosi 38 The meme has been been meme has The , July 22, 2006, www 2006, 22, , July 37 Diaosi Diaosi ’: ------Image courtesyoftheartist. Miao Ying.Aifenglaji爱疯垃圾[iPhoneGarbage],2014.Browser-based(GIFs, video-sharingwebsite,stillimage). of ­ the conjuncture in economy, politics and culture, confluence of media, Miao’s in at the issues display of wider work) therefore indicative is on (and so evidently culture Diaosi by valorized poor-quality the and pastiche, the amateur, celebration of the self-conscious and ugliness The defined. to continue be values how beauty, aesthetic success, and of visions mainstream rejecting in media of digital importance the of evidence provides phenomenon the similarly century, 21st the in of rapid its economic growth limitations and challenges the with terms 42 42 state. of power the the except value every usurped has commodity of the fetishization the which in and wealth, material and achievements solely oncated educational predi often success is which in asociety by invisible otherwise dered ren people to agroup of young visibility phenomenon brings Diaosi the media, participatory and infotainment, viral platforms, networking social- of corporate times In futures. bright success, and status, with 21st-century China. 21st-century [China Youth Study] 1 (2013): 21–24. 1(2013): Study] Youth [China yanjiu nian aDiaosi Joy Being of [The celüe” tisheng yu yinsu yingxiang gan: xingfu “‘Diaosi’ Jianya, Liu and Xingeng Liu online phenomenon represents a China coming to coming phenomenon online aChina represents Diaosi the If Zhongguo qing Zhongguo Strategies], Promotional and Factors : Influencing 42 - - - 47 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly Miao Ying. Aifeng laji 爱疯垃圾 [iPhone Garbage], 2014. Browser-based (GIFs, video-sharing website, still image). Image courtesy of the artist.

Miao Ying. Aifeng laji 爱疯垃圾 [iPhone Garbage], 2014. Browser-based (GIFs, video-sharing website, still image). Image courtesy of the artist. of images,” today’s society “class in images” “poor as images low-resolution digital Hito Steyerl’s of with definition parallels cultural Presenting online. images of traffic metaphor immaterial ostensibly for the aspatial as 44 44 43 component Chinese from the appropriated video is The images. still Poem Love LAN (2014), like which, Miao’s in more in depth work Garbage explored is iPhone question This Ugly? of Chinternet anti-aesthetic on the focus instead and ments advance these eschew it to deliberately what mean does capabilities, technical beyond their reach always can when users and sional, work more appear profes amateur apps to and make tools evolving ever- offers and ­ matures continually Internet when the age an In iPho ably more intimate, creative, amateur, and ugly. and amateur, ably creative, more intimate, invari are which online, flourish that discourses popular and activities profit-oriented and commercialized albeit voiced, more pluralistic, multi the and rhetoric, ideological and propaganda with saturated and formalized, rigid, are which channels, media autocratic highly its and theparty-state by presented discourses official the between exists ­contradictions.” enables but it also have may restrictions, Internet the channel, news same at the 7o’clock set to watch TV front of in the gathered everyone when of television, era ofcompared humor; to the sense its in lies China in Internet of the attractiveness my “In the opinion media: state-sanctioned country’s of the formats mainstream and sanitized more the of amode as counteracting hit surprise the and accidental, the amateurish, to the attention facilitate can Internet directed—the clearly is audience attention and marginalized often is amateurish the print—where and television including China, in media state-controlled more to the traditional opposed control. As of curatorial lack and speed medium’s of the aby-product advantages—its actually is ugliness the because credibility, its not destroy does Internet amateur ness of the -ba-ba.com/main/main.art?threadId=85930&forumId=8. Art-Ba-Ba Develop], Will Art Internet Your Screen: Swipe and Sleep, [Eat, fazhan” jiu hui yishu wangluo ping, shua shua shuijiao “Chifan Ying, Miao .com/journal/in-defense-of-the-poor-image/. Journal e-flux Image,” Poor the of Defense “In Steyerl, Hito Miao’s hybrid images and composite visual configurations serve serve configurations Miao’s composite and visual images hybrid n e Ga 43 rb series that the ugli the that series Poem Love LAN the in asserts Miao a 44 ge Miao thus draws attention to the disparity that still still that disparity to the attention draws thus Miao , is composed of videos, GIFs, composed of, is videos, and , no. 10 (2009), www.e-flux 10 (2009), , no. , August 9, 2015, www.art 2015, 9, , August - - - - - 49 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 50 artmargins 7:1 screen via text message. text via screen to the directly comments their (QR)response transferring codeand aquick onto scanning by movies subtitles to superimpose viewers allowing Guangzhou, and Shanghai, Beijing, in were unveiled cinemas Screen 2015 in Bullet that China within proved so popular has viewing 48 48 47 46 45 sources. third-party by hosted videos user-submitted to display technology HTML5 and video AdobeFlash uses that fandom, game and Jin Li. brand smartphone Chinese to promote made the video original of an aremix is and website Bilibili shooter game. shooter aDanmaku bling resem visually screen, playback video on overlaid the subtitles moving of streams as comments user displays that system subtitle commentary content, Bilibili’s areal-time is core video feature the Beyond hosting rapid-fire ideas and conversational andvolleys. conversational ideas rapid-fire encouraging thus appearance, their seconds after disappear and time real in viewers to all broadcast simultaneously are sincethey [bullets], videos as inspiration for her own form of visual satire. She comments: satire. of visual form for her own inspiration as videos ugly deliberately these appropriated has Miao turn, In videos. or amateur from derived is tainment enter which unprofessional,in the and ugly of the arepository as status http://rhizome.org/editorial/2015/feb/2/my-brain-hole-just-dilated-another-2–inches/. Rhizome 2Inches,” Another Dilated Just Hole Brain “My Ying, Miao 19–27. 15 (2011): Software] [Popular “ Internet of Analysis AComprehensive Fly: Subtitles the [Let jiexi” fangwei quan shipin ‘danmu’ Hulianwang fei: zimu Tu “Rang Bage, patterns. pleasing aesthetically in arrayed bullets of amounts profuse feature They Japan. in popularized first were that games shooter top-down are games shooter Danmaku atwww.bilibili.com. online found be can site The video. hologram” of the “social of point view, it atangible is artist’s From video. anet on the drawing acomment like is Leaving vas. acan into video the it live, are makes comments the sinceall Also, picture. frontin of a moving floating text moving to see lating stimu visually is it artist, an As time. first for the onments Bilibili why it so lovely. is exactly is 80’s that post of the taste generation—but visual to the ugly almost it make around flying comments blunt—the very is Bilibili to its attributed be can Bilibili’s popularity noted, has Ying Miao As Bilibili is a video-sharing website, themed around anime, manga, manga, anime, around website, themed avideo-sharing is Bilibili It was mind blowing for me to see these 弹幕 for these me to see blowing It mind was 48 Tucao [ridiculing or mocking] badly edited edited badly or mocking] 吐槽 [ridiculing 46 Danmu called are subtitles These 47 This form of interactive of interactive form This Danmu Ruanjian Dazhong ” Video], /bullet com /bullet , February 2, 2015, 2015, 2, , February 45

- - - - - Zhe ye neng suan zhineng shouji zhineng suan neng ye faces read: Zhe their over stream that comments Bilibili The designed. badly and tacky, damaged, easily is insist money on so much they aphonespend that who would consumers the against fulminating and piece of garbage] 垃圾 it Laji [a labeling strategy, advertising of their iPhone part 6as the denounce continually officers police ersatz The imagery. and text of overlapping apalimpsest in video original of the background the and figures two the obscuring screen, the continuouslyacross stream comments live while smartphone custom-made Jin domestic Li their promoting aggressively uniforms police in men dressed two depicts 我把 吓得 le, reng laji iPhone ba wo de me], Xia and brainwashed really video a shenqu xinao OMGday], Zhenshi every bad video this Iwatch 浑身难受 unless uncomfortable feel [I 一天不看 nanshou, hunshen bu kan tian Yi phone smart?], this [You call 49 inclusion of the original ad juxtaposed against the layered visual visual layered the against ad juxtaposed original of the inclusion Miao’s products. its who in invest to those guaranteed “happiness” and “joy” the to illustrate users their and of commodities depictions employs whimsical which branding, of emotional formula standard Apple’s features commercial now embedded The ringtone. Shanzhai ersatz an into transmogrification digital its music and oftion classical appropria the satirizing ad, Jin Li of the nature parodic the heighten to serves visuals the with conjunction music presence in of the The music. version of Offenbach’s techno can-can atinny with overlaid and soundtrack of original its nowiPhone divested 6commercial, the official of is a remix imagery Thebackground fluid. rounding sur of the effect rippling the through distorted and inverted been has Apple corporate logo, the which depicts image mirror this although water,pool of in a apple reflected is player another video the Beneath apple onto player and the itself. video the through stream ously whose contents continu of bottle awater aGIF animation features which screen, side of the top right-hand from the emanates water The over surface. its dramatically of splashes water cascade freeze-framed a as midair in apple of an suspended is player a GIF animation video the under directly while meta-image, embedded an as screen ofter the The video can be viewed online athttp://bit.ly/2hMm2Gr. online viewed be can video The In Miao’sIn Garbage iPhone for appropriated Miao Garbage iPhone that video Bilibili The iPhone 垃圾扔了 can]. my iPhone garbage the into threw just [I , the video is placed squarely in the cen the in squarely placed is video , the , OMG 真是洗 ? 这也能算智能手机 脑神曲啊 [OMG, this - 49 ? - - - 51 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 52 artmargins 7:1 51 51 or by other illegal means. illegal or other by to people’s them bodies strapping surreptitiously by China Mainland into smuggled frequently are that products are These Apple products. 水货苹果 parallel-imported to describe used [water apple], term the reference pingguo to Shuihuo adeliberate making is sinceMiao trary, Chinese Apple store. Chinese from alegitimate available is at amore than price affordable Mainland the in resoldfore markets on Taobao frequently electronics or other there are Hong as Kong, such amore in jurisdiction, affordable legally purchased devices for smugglers: opportunities arbitrage lucrative provides countries), eighteen only stores in operate work (Apple retail net company’s worldwide distribution the limited combined with China, capitalism by appropriating the capitalist power of power dissemination. capitalist the appropriating by capitalism Shuijun Shanzhai and as such resistance, of creative forms other encounters it also rights, property of intellectual norms and discourse globalized the through abrand as nation the to establish need its by caught dilemma: tural faces acul also government where the landscape, China’s cultural rary and commentand sections. boards on bulletin wars opinion websites, or waging ­e-commerce on reviews product about boosting competitors, rumors spreading spam, with rivals commercial bombarding as such techniques entails process This or “astroturfing.” manipulation, media in to engage hired be who can posters of paid squad refers to abespoke also army] Shuijun 水军 [water China, Within online. circulate that images or ugly taxonomypoor theof to belonging as classified frequently are advert, Li Jin Bilibili-modified the like products, whose visual and Internet, of the corner every inhabit that media digital other and videos, emails, 50 50 consumption. of conspicuous appeal fetishistic of the acritique presents foreground thus the in images International Communication], no. 10 (2012): 30–36. 10 (2012): no. Communication], International of [Journal Jie Xinwen Guoji Armies”], “Water Involving Events Online Recent 26 of Analysis An Micro-Blogging: of Era the in Opinions Online Communicating in Armies” “Water Online of Effect the of Study [A li” wei shijian wangluo de canyu shuijun wangluo ge 26 lai jinnian yanjiu—Yi xiaoli yingxiang de zhong chuanbo yuqing wangluo zai shuijun wangluo shidai “Weibo Manning, Zheng and Biao Li Wall Street Journal Street Wall Smuggling,” Fuels iPhone New Apple’s for Hunger “China’s Luk, Lorraine and Ma Wayne is also a euphemism for spam: the tidal wave of junk wave of junk tidal the for aeuphemism spam: also Shui is the areworkarbi notin signifiers water-based visual multiple The , that frequently subvert the hegemony the of global subvert frequently , that 51 Such aphenomenon Such common contempo is in 50 The relatively high cost of cost Apple’s in high relatively devices The , September 22, 2014, http://on.wsj.com/2lVYS4O. 2014, 22, , September - - - - - ued economicued expansion. contin country’s the to bolster power posable income purchasing and dis the have whogeneration younger and predominantly affluent an by symbols considered are status where devices iPhones other market, and Chinese the within dominance and strategies marketing successful Apple’s in extremely especially consumption, and production tronic elec in embedded ideology class the defetishizing by brands of global their products) into the interstices of global consumer culture. consumer of global interstices the into products) their (and themselves playerswho insert more by and local Western society pilot that mechanics corporate the by for colonizationboth other, ripe is any like terrain, online the that illustrates at succinctly once. thus Miao possessionstatuses multiple content carry economy which can in visual alternative of an facilitation Internet’s the demonstrates Garbage iPhone were noJin doubtcosts Li’s considerable, homemade ironic, parody, with Apple’s professional whose Byfusing ad, production sleek of smartphone. model latest the to own desire insatiable the precipitating technology, tion of communica forms new with market Chinese of the saturation of the critique and commentary both as interpreted be thus can Garbage iPhone Ce 53 53 52 violation of labor practices. violation consistent its conditionsand working exploitative and poor extremely for its comeFoxconn, considerable has under acompany criticism that by run those as complexes, such factory large in country of the south the in manufactured are Most Apple products costs. low production aready by Apple labor and components, supply of fueled human cheap economy. to prop continues global up the that production of industrial materiality labor, to the salaried and artistic so much now constitutes that gation navi information from the otherwise, and how what of and labor, artistic of work: the question the foregrounds inevitably therefore also Garbage iPhone outsourcing, neoliberal and consumerism corporate balized l ebr (London: Picador, 2010). Picador, (London: China Modern of Heart the from Voices Girls: Factory T. Chang, Leslie 411–35; 2015): 3(August no. 23, Critique Cultures Asia East Positions: Migrants,” Labor of Generation New China’s and Foxconn Camp/us: (Labor) “A Koo, ‘World-Class’ Anita and Ngai Pun 2016), 31–63. Press, University Indiana (Bloomington: Globalization and Culture, Counterfeit Branding, Nation China: in Faked Yang, Fan Ironically, China remains the largest supplier and manufacturer of manufacturer and supplier largest the remains Ironically, China monopoly the of therefore subvert appropriation practices These a ti n Aestheti g Shanzhai 52 53 By exposing the effects and impact of glo impact and effects the Byexposing c s ------53 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 54 artmargins 7:1 tion of the Chinese Internet is not all about local appropriation of the of appropriation the about local not is all Internet Chinese oftion the Web. of rest the the and Internet Chinese the between divide superficial the emphasized Miao sources, different content same from the using consecutively pieces these By showing website China. in video-sharing second largest site the Youku.com, streaming Chinese popular from the videos embedded using made second version the was aVPN,and without China inaccessibleare in only using made was versionYouTube that first videos the embedded succession: in twice shown was Garbage iPhone 2014, in Netizenet Miao’s In on solo exhibition culture. over mainstream into crossed Ugly have successfully of Chinternet how aspects highlights also forms of these sphere, Miao’s recoding of and appropriation practice public online the in manifested as aesthetics Shanzhai and tion, logical innovation. logical of techno example an as reappraisal current its products—to imitation with to deceive consumers sought deliberately worked orrarely that that knockoffs cheap including merchandise, on authentic takes tive representedderiva that goods illegitimate as lowly position—derided original from its itself, 山寨 development and oftion Shanzhai culture sumer culture with Chinese characteristics.” Chinese with culture sumer iPhone Garbage iPhone and Poem Love of LAN aesthetics vernacular the between parallels draws artist the way this capabilities from those of their global smartphone counterparts. smartphone global of their from those ­capabilities different entirely offering for desire products, new unquenchable and its market Chinese the of demands specific to the responds that hardware unique to build have sought merchants Shanzhai as formed 56 56 55 54 As recent scholarship has been quick to highlight, “the domestica “the to highlight, quick been has recent scholarship As or more often their effects, have traveled both inside and outside of China’s borders. China’s of outside and inside both traveled have effects, their often more or Mao), and Marx of areading on based (ostensibly policies Deng’s which in ways various identify to commentators up by taken been has characteristics” Chinese “with phrase prepositional the circumstances, of set Chinese aspecifically thus and policies, economic official CCP’s the name to intended only was characteristics” Chinese with “socialism While economy. market asocialist of creation the support to used was which teristics,” charac Chinese with “socialism of policy Xiaoping’s Deng of aparody is phrase The (2015): 92 260–79. no. 24, China Contemporary of Journal Hybridity,” of Politics the and ‘Grabism’ Culture: Shanzhai “China’s Chubb, Andrew 20–37. 2012): (April 1 no. 11, Culture Visual of Journal China,” Contemporary in Appropriation and Activism Art, Hero: Anti-Counterfeiting the and Man Panda “The Wong, Won Yin Winnie iPhone Garbage iPhone Through evolu on the read acommentary be as also could Garbage iPhone 54 In many ways Shanzhai ways many In ’s visual remixing of humor, consump remixing ’s visual ’s of veneration “con deliberate ’s status has been trans been has ’s status 56 55 In In ­ ------biases of the art world. In her multivalent image/text works, Miao Ying works, Ying Miao image/text world. her In multivalent art of the biases pre-existing certain to replicate seems still form, aborderlessas art potential utopian and democracy its concerning apparent triumphalism its for all art, Internet decade, past the in world have transitioned art illusion. optical an World morethe than Wide Web little to be appears often and Chinternet the labeled been what has between boundary the that presence illustrates online whose strong subculture avibrant but as ridicule, and of parody object not simply an as diversity celebrates this and she acknowledges access. so In doing, online unfettered and ism consumer of global by-products of the rejection creative foundin pride of sense the highlighting by fashion localized and interaction Internet of form indigenous vibrant celebrates this artist The products. tural cul somesible unexpected ofand for China’s producing diverse most respon is manifestations, immaterial and material its content, both in user-driven how this highlights aesthetics ugly and culture Shanzhai Miao’s fake, the and real celebration of the both between reality, social and fiction state between inconsistencies glaring the highlighting In outcomes.” ambivalent and polyvalent and interactions, complexand actors, flows social multiple process involving it amulti-directional Rather, is global. 59 58 57 China. contemporary in apanacea as lauded been has that prosperity economic and wealth of veneration material unadulterated the against Poem Love of LAN aesthetics Garbage iPhone in culture celebration of Shanzhai The D ing regime of intellectual property rights. property of intellectual regime ing globaliz to the conception alternative of an acollective signifying also while China, of labor in landscape cultural shifting upon the shed light of Garbage iPhone aesthetics Shanzhai how the accentuates thus Miao discourse, Shanzhai the within embedded forms cultural dominant estigm (New York: Hill and Wang, 2010). Wang, and York: Hill (New Everything Transforming Are Consumers Chinese How World: the Goes So Goes, China As Gerth, Karl /archive/2016/04/features/xiaomi-lei-jun-internet-thinking. www.wired.co.uk/magazine China,” copy to time “It’s headline the with Shopping,” “ to devoted story cover afront featured edition 2016 April magazine’s Wired 52. Internet?,” “AYang, Chinese While the language, relationships, and power structures of the of the structures power and relationships, language, the While a 57 tizi Celebrating the creativity, ingenuity, and resistance to resistance and ingenuity, creativity, the Celebrating n g Chi na ’s Onl ’s , could be read as a cipher of resistance read acipher of be as resistance , could i n e Sp here 58 Diaosi the , like Shanzhai - 59 - - -

55 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly 56 artmargins 7:1 shackles and stereotypes that define China’s online realm, Miao’s China’s realm, work online define that stereotypes and shackles world online. art of an economies virtual to the relationship market’s art the and democracy, media and propaganda online aesthetics, Shanzhai and capitalism World the and Wide Web, Chinternet the global between dichotomies ostensible to the alternative of an possibility enable the crucially also Garbage iPhone and Poem Love LAN imagery, recognized globally and Apple’s sleek, in sophisticated, manifested as branding, corporate and Dream, Chinese the in articulated as of branding, nation projects the between similarities uncanny the Byhighlighting developments. these questioning play in can culture visual online role the that and mies, econo virtual its and Internet world, the art the brokerage between cultural expanding to an attention critical brings China in Meanwhile of bricolage visual The sources. of digital multiple recoding cuous promis and indiscriminate its with culture, visual of China’s online richness and complexity to the attention drawing cultures, of national exchange global the in stock of China’s value symbolic forincreased the claim aplangent makes Miao West rest, from the to the imagery online world. art sphere public of today’s “global online contemporary” ­transnational play the out in eventually dynamics how these with and latability trans and intelligibility of cross-cultural issues with but also culture, visual online not with only engage of works that range ­ever-expanding an obscure that to strategies be we must underscore how attentive Garbage iPhone and Poem Love LAN culture, of lens online the through interactions of China’s global dynamics the instead Exploring ments. develop technological country’s the with step in arisen has that culture mobile, informational increasingly or the today’s China in media new the of impact androle either understanding for frameworks as suffice no longer autocracy” control” versus versus or “democracy “freedom as simple dichotomies how such illustrate and “inaccessibility” digital by wrought reformatting creative the Ying’s Miao works accentuate itself, spaces. online Chinese in actions and expressions personalized numerous of the innovation and ingenuity the celebrating by model, or more earlier international an repeating belatedly is culture online Chinese that presumption the challenges By fusing these disparate visual elements into a celebration of the acelebration into of elements the visual disparate these By fusing flow of unidirectional ostensibly inversion of an the Presenting of how censorshipmanifests equations to reductive opposition In - ­ - - generous feedback. generous their for participants conference the Ithank 2015; in Centre China Oxford of University the at held Kong, Hong Taiwan and China, Contemporary in Culture Digital ence confer the at presented was article this of version early An development. article’s this of stages various at provided they insight the for Ying Miao and editors, ARTMargins as well as links to many of the websites introduced in this article. article. this in introduced websites the of many to links as well as author, the by written works these of critiques detailed further features also supplement online The intended. artist the as works these view to readers enable to is gallery online this of aim primary The (www.artmargins.com). Online ARTMargins on available iPhone Garbage and Poem Love LAN Ying’s porary encounters between China and the wider world. wider the and China between encounters porary of contem heart at lie the interactions whose visual aesthetic Ugly—an Chinternet by embodied dissemination and translation, reproduction, in humorous inaccuracies the by epitomized to globalization, responses ambivalent often Internet’s Chinese of the integration ironic an and display, ofand non-Western exhibition commons to circuits ­creative economy, up of the opening visual an of the areorientation offers r o h t u a s r o t i d e ’ ’ ’ s e t o n

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Several of the artworks discussed in this article, including Miao Miao including article, this in discussed artworks the of Several

The author thanks the two anonymous peer reviewers, the the reviewers, peer anonymous two the thanks author The , can be viewed in a special supplement supplement aspecial in viewed be , can - - 57 holmes | miao ying and the rise of chinternet ugly