Vol. VIII comparative cinema Ling No. 14 2020 Zhang Foreshadowing the Future of 62-81 Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes(2017)

How has the development of surveillance technology and its normalized intervention into our social structures and daily lives impact our imagination of the future? Does the “total view” of the intense yet impassive gaze of surveillance cameras, combined with the mediated intimacy of social media videos, foreshadow deeper social alienation or the fulfillment of individual desire? In order to address such questions, I take the Chinese artist Xu Bing and his team’s film Dragonfly Eyes (Qingting zhi yan, 2017) and its surrounding media culture as a case study to demonstrate how surveillance footage and various modes of cinematic ontology, digital realism, and temporality work in a contemporary socio-political-medial context. Composed by Xu and a group of collaborators, Dragonfly Eyes is the only existing feature-length fiction film constructed completely from surveillance footage. As a highly reflexive film, Dragonfly epitomizes and embodies the precarious potentials of the digital future of capitalism, both invigorating and bleak, expressive and corrupt.​

Date of reception: 20/08/2019 Date of acceptance: 28/12/2019 Keywords DRAGONFLY EYES XU BING SURVEILLANCE DIGITAL REALISM LIVE-STREAMING ATTENTION ECONOMY NEW MEDIA Ling Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Cinema Studies at SUNY Purchase College. She is completing her book manuscript, Sounding Ambiance: Acoustic Culture and Transmediality in 1920s–1940s Chinese Cinema. Zhang received her PhD from the Department of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago and specializes in film sound, Chinese-language cinema, and cinematic travel and urbanism. She has published in both English and Chinese on early Chinese cinema and film theory, contemporary Chinese documentary, Taiwan New Cinema, and Chinese opera films inFilm Quarterly, Journal of Chinese Cinemas, CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, and Asian Cinema, among others.

DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 63 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) how surveillance footage andvarious culture asacasestudy to demonstrate yan footage film Bing andhisteam’s 81-minute found- questions, Itake theChineseartist Xu mediascapes? Inorder to address such political imagination incontemporary understanding ofcreativity artistic and and audiovisual mediaimpelrenewed does theconvergence of surveillance the fulfillment of individualdesire? How foreshadow deepersocialalienation or social media’s dislocated intimacy, surveillance cameras, combinedwith yet impassive gaze or view”“total of imagine thefuture? Doestheintense of thepresent andour abilityto does thisimpact ourunderstanding and daily life are normalized. How its interventions into socialstructures As surveillance technology develops, self-exposure andself-surveillance. and socialmediaengender cultures of webcam-generated videostreams knowledge of thoseitmonitors. Second, establishments, withorwithoutthe by publicinstitutions andcommercial of two phenomena. First, itisimposed future. politicalandtechnologicaluncertain issues such aspersonal privacy andthe surveillance cameras have explored of images from different typesof and experimental videoscomposed the 1980s, filmessays, documentaries, surveillance” (Zimmer2015, 2). Since a functional role inthepoliticsof together incinematic form to play andnarrative“technology have come Catherine Zimmer examines how context. contemporary socio-political-medial realism, andtemporality work ina modes of cinematic ontology, digital television (CCTV), dashboard cameras, footage from closed-circuited aesthetic” orutilize surveillance developed a “surveillance camera In “Visible surveillance” , 2017)anditssurrounding media Surveillance Cinema 2 Another set of filmshave Dragonfly Eyes 1 istheproduct (2015), ( Qingting zhi Qingting zhi public sphere (such associalmedia icons, andemojisdrawn from the novel” compiled from symbols, signs, Point fromthe Ground:Book FromPoint to industrial debris. For instance, Xu’s whether words, images, concepts, or and transforming “found materials,” construct new meaningsby assembling acrossconcern theseworks ishow to painting, andinstallations. Hismajor woodblock prints, calligraphy, ink worked inavariety of media, including Captured from 1999to 2017, themore completely from surveillance footage. length fictional filmconstructed Dragonfly or mimicasurveillance aesthetic. around thetopic of surveillance, surveillance footage, construct content examples, which incorporate comparison to theaforementioned is anextraordinary caseeven in political systems. of corrupt capitalist mechanisms and as afoil to thenarrative andcritique feature fabricated surveillance footage Great Buddha recent commercial films, such as Rifkin, 2007), amongothers. Stillother (Bong Joon-ho,2004) and nonfiction, for instance, obscure theboundarybetween fiction and live-streaming videosinorder to the film. Before Hanno) contributed to themakingof (Li Danfeng), andacomposer (Yoshihiro and Zhang Wenchao), sounddesigners Zhang Hanyi), editors (Matthieu Laclau screenwriters (Zhai Yongming and ideas, andateam of data collectors, Chinese artist Xu Bingdeveloped the collective work; theglobally renowned Thus, itshould beconsidered a and laborby agroup of collaborators. investmentenormous of time, capital, involved years of preparation andan online inChinasince2015. in thefilmhave beenpublicly available than 10,000 hours of footage sampled Dragonfly Eyes (2003–ongoing) isa “graphic istheonly existing feature- + (HuangHsin-yao, 2017), Dragonfly DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 4 (hereafter

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64 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) unreal. Xu’s primaryinterest isinthe fictional film atonce realanduncannily footage”—surveillance footage—into a transform theassemblage of “found as editingandvoice dubbing to utilizing cinematic techniques such approach andworking method by works, art. Aswith Xu’s earlierconceptual fictional film, documentary, andvideo from thestart, sculptures witha “rebirth.” phoenixes, Xu andworkers imbuedthe into spectacular and monumental and contexts, andtransforming these remnants evocative of theirsources 2012,183–84). Scavenging construction concept of individualauthorship (Tan of subjectivity andthebourgeois creativity triumphsover theconfines workers, intimating that collective works builtby Chinesemigrant sculptures were alsocollaborative language.” with universality of visual “the barriers of literacy basedonlanguage anyone—an attempt to transcend the language isintelligible to almost and road signs), anditssymbolic unpublished conference paper). up by repurposing” artistic (Tang, the world andtheirpotentials opened tension between existing materials in seems to have beenfascinated by the his Tang argues, asmuch in contemporary society. AsPao-chen respond to socio-cultural issuesin meaning-making procedures to extraordinary; andtheir useof of something from banalto something (Kraicer 2018, 49); theirtransformation pastiches madefrom found materials” their characterization as “narrative painstaking, monumentalquality; for instance, theirlabor-intensive, aforementioned work with 78). Many significant factors link Xu’s compelling narratives (Frazier 2018, reinvention of language, not increating Although conceived asafeature film Forest Project Dragonfly 7 Xu’slarge-scale 9

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: discovers shehasdied. After his own has beenlooking for Qingtingand Ke Fan, recently released from prison, new name, Xiaoxiao) commitssuicide. online attacks. Qingting(now withthe is terrorized by viciousandanonymous surgery” scandalplagues herandshe to please her. However, the “plastic pay real money to purchase gifts virtual interacting followers withvirtual who live-streaming performances and these issues. the following sections, Iwill address all realism inandbeyond of surveillance inrelation to digital structures andlayered perspectives does thistension reflect the intricate invites furthercriticalattention. How recognize consistent characters) that dialogues allow theaudience to Ke Fan) andaural consistency (dubbed different shots “playing” Qingtingand inconsistency (different real people in tension between thefilm’s visual this temporal ambiguity exists a truly incisive socialanalysis. Alongside to themonastery potentially eschews On theother hand, theretreat back structural gambit” (Kraicer 2018, 49). linear narratives “in aMöbiusstrip-like challenges mainstream fictional film’s temporality of capitalistand modernity a critiqueof thelinear, developmental one hand, the “cycle” narrative poses theme: alife cycle, orsamsara. Onthe death, andrebirthsuggest aBuddhist identity onto another through life, The transposition of onecharacter’s Buddhist temple asherreincarnation. plastic surgery, hereturns to Qingting’s as a “web celebrity ( surgery, sheachieves internet stardom a restaurant. After receiving plastic a dairyfactory, adrycleaner’s, and working variouslow-paying jobsin and enters “real” secularsociety, aBuddhistdeserts monastery coworker andadmirer, Ke Fan. Qingting (“Dragonfly” inChinese), andher characters: ayoung woman, Qingting Dragonfly follows two fictionalized DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 wanghong Dragonfly ),” ),” ? In ? In 65 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) to market, orthevoyeuristic predator is something done down activity inwhich surveillance of apurely unidirectional ortop- that canbediscussedinthemode Surveillance isnolonger something are livingin “post-panoptic” times. decentralized—in other words, we is more diverse, discursive, and surveillance incontemporary society that the dynamicinterplay of media studies scholars acknowledge 2015, 13). However, surveillance and to digitaltraces andmetadata” (Parks 2019), as “human existence isreduced recent attention andcritique(Zuboff data surveillance hasdrawn much informational capitalism meansthat Meanwhile, digitaltechnology’s role in 2003, 2006, 2018; McGrath 2004). and self-discipline (Lyon 1994, Foucauldian modelsof panopticism or theunidirectional Bentham- Orwellian dystopian totalitarianism by addressing atop-down modeof of “surveillance” conventionally begin the “AttentionEconomy” in itsnarrative andaesthetics beyond explores thecomplexity of surveillance Xu Binghasexplained why have alsosurfaced. and “omnicon” (Groombridge 2002, 43) such as “polypticon” (Allen 1994, 145) (Mathiesen 1997). Similarneologisms new transparency the “synopticon” watching thefew”—he callsthis with today’s massmediaof many “the model of the “few watching themany” Mathiesen contrasts thepanopticon’s as aresult (Lyon 2006, 15). Thomas of power relations are foregrounded home webcams; thecomplexities by new digitaltechnologies, especially Panoptic ideashave beendestabilized [and] anywhere” (Koskela 2003, 299). “anybody may watch anybody, anytime, victim (Zimmer2015, 73). Instead, thecitizen, theconsumer, orthe It isinthisevolving framework that Academic andpopulardiscussions I.“Post-Panoptic” Surveillance and by thestate, the Dragonfly

to improve theirlives. The world of live-streaming technologies, hoping with theworld through newly available people seekto establish connections of “surveillance” are alsoshifting. Many agents (Xu 2019, 130). The connotations private entities—not governmental to publicly accessible databases by footage usedin individuals. At least 99percent of the are controlled by corporations and since most surveillance apparatuses intricacy of contemporary situations already incapable of unravelling the understanding of surveillance as he considers theusualOrwellian its citizens (Xu 2019, 130). However, of a regime”“totalitarian imposedon terms of top-down politicalcontrol usually asked aboutsurveillance in when interviewed intheWest, heis simplistic binaries. Xu recounts that trends andvalues, especially metaphoric sense, shaperepressive and cultural surveillance that, ina governmental andcommercial; 2)social surveillance inpublicspaces, both forms of surveillance as: 1)institutional It insightfully juxtaposesdisparate socialist-turned-capitalist socialworld. of rampant consumerisminanunruly, film highlights thedystopian effects in contemporary Chinaandbeyond. The popular cultural andmediaphenomena Dragonfly on thesenew meansof surveillance, (McKay 2013, 336–37). Reflecting modes of representation andexhibition perception andobservation create new throughartists which new modesof appealing tool andplatform for visual McKay argues, by presenting an of seeingandbeingseen, asCarolyn surveillance canalsooffer anew way seendyad.the seeing/being However, technology produces adissociation of surveillance gaze mediated by gaze isusually reciprocal, yet the larger andricher realm. “surveillance” hasexpanded to amuch A corporeal andsocially acceptable touches onsignificant Dragonfly DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 was uploaded 66 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) aesthetic ischaracterized by boredom, of cameras into onceprivate spaces, its surveillance represents theinsinuation model of “intimate alienation.” Although Burris argues, surveillance isa visual shockingly violent events. As Jennifer coexist withabrupt, dramatic, andeven repetitive, andmundanedaily activities present aworld inwhich tedious, (Zimmer 2015, 1), surveillance cameras their dispassionate, “unblinking gaze” surveillance cameras never blink. With second. Unlike dragonflies, however, eyes which blink40,000 timesper in thefilm, adragonfly has28,000 of surveillance cameras; asnoted metaphor for themultifaceted “eyes” experience, butalsofunctions asa Qingting/Dragonfly’s perspective and only invokes thefemale protagonist The film’s title “dragonfly eyes” not number isover 245millionglobally. installed for securitypurposes; the surveillance cameras have been In China, anestimated 200million omniscient, especially inurbanspaces. streaming andother socialmedia. and 3)self-surveillance through live- discourses around gender andage; socialist periodhad beenweakened. As and governmental policies of the the more progressive gender discourses of women incontemporary China, after the female bodyandretrograde status is intensified by theobjectificationof trend intensifies and at thesametime both afad andaninvestment. Dragonfly obsession withbeauty andyouth, commercialized popular-cultural surveillance.” Responding to thehyper- of profit-making through “self- which into canbeturned ameans the impassive yet alienating gaze of of surveillance (Zimmer2015, 75), visibility isintegral to thepolitics capitalism, thecommodification of (Burris 2011, 152). ambiguity, andalack of expression In neoliberal, global-technological Surveillance isomnipresent and figures plastic surgery as 10 The The performativity, andsexuality. Therefore, gender discourse, sellingtheir looks, male-chauvinist heterosexual desirable commodities inadominant streamers becomeattractive and fetishizes youth andglamor. Live- medial tool of self-surveillance that facilitated by “live-streaming,” anew capital, ameansof profit-generation “improved” appearance becomes invests inplastic surgery, andher or change your appearance.” She need to change your way of thinking, finally convinces herself: “You either because of her “plain looks,” Qingting discrimination anddisempowerment Thus, in their valueto mere “appearance.” social andcultural surveillance reduces the capitalist-patriarchal system, and regarded aspotential sexual objects in suggested in and self-esteem depend upontheir followersvirtual whose “social value” the hedonistic desires of mostly male who live-stream potentially channel (Albuquerque 2018, 30). constant exposure of everyday life of cameras, thereby accepting the appear to welcome thepresence increasingly internalized; people that surveillance practices are streaming bearwitnessto thefact webcam-generated videoandlive- witnessed andtold by him. Ke Fan’s, asherstory anddeath are person yet omniscientperspective to as thenarration shiftsfrom herfirst- compromised inthemiddle of thefilm Qingting/Xiaoxiao’s agency is do” (Grbich 2018, 36). Nevertheless, cameras seetoo much, butthat women one criticnotes, itis “not that security vision, agency, andsubjectivity? As “Dragonfly Eyes” suggest Qingting’s 2013, 32). However, doesthefilm’s title marketing agents (Bauman andLyon promote commodities they are simultaneously As Paula Albuquerque argues, Dragonfly , themerchandise andtheir Dragonfly and DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 the commoditiesthey , suffering from , women are only 11 promoters of Youngwomen 67 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) reality by developing a is essentialto effect asplitinprimary this transfiguration of everyday life; it Paul Virilio’s view, of thewebcam ispart just asdigitalrealism canbeunreal. In “virtual” andthe “real” are intertwined, warned us(Baudrillard 2002, 482). The self-adoration, as Jean Baudrillard has caught inaviciouscircle of aimless self-absorption inasociety of loners of beingconsumedby unproductive demonstrate thedangers of narcissism, technology. New forms of self-exposure consumer capitalist exploitation of standardized, andoverdetermined by (Abbinnett 2018, 5). Desire iscreated, aesthetic faculties of each individual” take control of thereflective and begins inwhich culture industries of techno-psychical manipulation desire of humanbeings, anew epoch “media technologies …reoriented the divisions. Ross Abbinnett argues that as reinforces andreproduces social and alienated within asystem that 34), consumers are alsodehumanized commodities” (Bauman andLyon 2013, consumers are themselves consumer since “members of thesociety of “purchasing power.” At thesametime, self-staging andself-stylization, which becoming “an increasing practice of the frame of aggressive capitalism, Cyber-visuality aprofit turns within Peters andSeier2009; Wise2002, 430). and goal (Goldhaber 1997; Beller 2006; and stardom becomethecurrency “attention economy” in which attention 2000, 1). Ithasalsobeendefined as an that preceded it(Hutton andGiddens principles from theindustrial economy it operates according to different as pleasure-producing entertainment, has called a “weightless economy;” digital era, onethat Anthony Giddens 2000, 15). of mediatrans-appearance (Virilio on theother hand, reality of thevirtual reality made upontheonehandof the Self-exposure isaneconomyinthe of immediate appearances and, stereo-reality actual actual , privacy. In thecaseof Xiaoxiao, work complication, andredefinition of mediated intimacy to theinvasion, commodification of technologically- (Lyon 2013, 19). “friends” aswell ascasual “users” celebrated andconsumed by countless 189). The private ispublic, to be mediation (Peters and Seier2009, and private life are now subject to intimacies of personal life. Work technological capitalisminto the practice records theentryof global and privacy are for sale; the ensure maximumprofits. corporations andagents eager to are easily manipulated by commercial are vulnerable to exploitation asthey environment.live-streamers These in thedigitalidol-making media searching for fame andfortune showrooms,their talents invirtual features live-streamers showcasing the live-streaming industry and Republic of Desire live-streaming alsocommercializes a neoliberal self-marketing tool. Yet creative andeconomicresource and live-streamers usetheself asa In to local economies(cf. Xu 2017a). has madesignificantcontributions become internet celebrities and textbooks teaching people how to for instance, to training centers and sector inChinathat hasgiven birth, become afast-expanding economic (Lyon 2018, 70–71). Live-streaming has corporate structures of technology and surveillance ismediated by the personal performance, celebrity, and desire, andthelinkbetween seen becomesamatter of privilege exposure through socialmedia, being Seier 2009, 188). Inaworld of self- of digital massculture” (Peters and isconsideredin turn atrademark Hao Wu’s documentary their interactions. Chinesefilmmaker and dehumanizes young people and Dragonfly In live-streaming, intimacy , Xiaoxiao/Qingting and Dragonfly DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 (2018)captures People’s links the comparative cinema comparative

Fig. 1: Dragonfly Eyes (Xu Bing, 2017). Courtesy of Xu Bing studio.

68 (2017)

Dragonfly Eyes Dragonfly

Fig. 2: Dragonfly Eyes (Xu Bing, 2017). Courtesy of Xu Bing studio. Article LING ZHANG Technology Surveillance Capitalism: of the Future Foreshadowing Bing’s Xu in and Digital Realism 2020 No. 14 No. Vol. VIII Vol. DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 69 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) him. Heisjust another customer, one (as Qingting)orhertrue emotions to but shenever reveals heridentity money from Ke Fan over theinternet, coquettishly withand flirts extracts Dragonfly the general public. For instance, in (and true identityinsomecases)from need to protect theiremotional privacy most of theirlives onscreen, they may severe. Although live-streamers expose has becomemore disguised andmore Capitalist exploitation inthedigital age labor (Andrejevic 2004; Wise2002, 430). time andactivity are transformed into work spaces inwhich one’s leisure include leisure spaces that become floor), thenew digitalenclosures (for instance, fields andthe factory always worked by meansof enclosures enclosures.” While capitalismhas such live-streaming spacesas “digital followers. point to attract voyeuristic (male) “work.” Exposure becomesaselling as abedroom, andthisbecomesher webcam inanintimate setting such She displays herself infront of the and private life seemingly converge. class young people lacking social, that itis” (Lyon 2018, 24). For lower- the meaningful cultural phenomenon and thisshould beappreciated for empowering andplayful for some, “surveillance isclearly enjoyable, of itsusers. AsDavid Lyon claims, rather thandelimitsthevisibility understood asapractice that expands represents thereal andeven theideal. for herenchanted followers she suggest astrong senseof artificiality, While Xiaoxiao’s performativity might performativity (Abbinnett 2018, 7–8). constant, technologically-enhanced where humanlife isdistinguished by regime of performative capitalism, characters are locked inaneoliberal camouflaged cyber-personality. The who would potentially pay for her Live-streaming canalsobe Mark Andrejevic conceptualizes , Xiaoxiao professionally and daily lives, explain their unfortunate “abnormality.” They live-stream their therefore likely to beexoticized for their online celebrities—but they are also of surgically-modified glamorous appear undesirable—the opposite commercial media. At times, they may in publicspheres andmainstream worker, andwhoare almost invisible with disabilitiesandafemale migrant marginalized people, such asmen features five subjects whoare mostly footage available online. The film edited from 800hours of live-streaming mei xianzaishi, documentary” is exemplified by theChinese “desktop technology andmedia. This potential “attention economy” facilitated by new mobility andmaterial abundanceinan provides for opportunities social Qingting/Xiaoxiao, live-streaming financial, andcultural capitallike routines such aseating, working, celebrities,” they live-stream mundane ofthe spectacular artificiality “web atmosphere, andinsharpcontrast with stratification. Ina relaxed andintimate divide, massmigration, andsocial social issuessuch astheurban-rural Their experiences epitomize Chinese migrant workers livinginanother city. villages orsmalltowns, andsomeare Most of thesubjects are from rural specificities of contemporary China. the cultural, social, andhistorical the globe, butalsoreveals someof self-surveillance mediaaround of thewidespread embrace of capitalist Present Perfect Bilibili, Xigua as platforms popularthrough China(such individual users of live-streaming among numerous spontaneous, fortunate oneswhoget attention organizations; they are thefew and manipulated by any corporate their followers withoutbeingpromoted situations, andcommunicate with Douyu, Douyin, Kuaishou, Huya, The popularityof thesubjects of , amongothers). Present Perfect is not only symptomatic Zhu Shengze, 2019), DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 12 ( Wan Wan 70 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) live-streaming expands theirsocial inhospitable world. For such persons, foothold inanadmittedly alienand striking. It allows people to claima and renders theignored present, even streaming makes theinvisible visible Lyon 2013, 26, 110). Inthissense, live- “meaningful” existence (Bauman and social recognition andproof of avalued, of enhancedvisibilitychimes with underrepresented groups, thepromise the joy of beingnoticed. For certain of disclosure hasbeeneclipsedby and asthiscasebears out, thefear city. As Zygmunt Bauman hasshown and later findsa factory jobinanother which he has isolated himself for years followers, hevisitspublicspacesfrom live-streamer andhisown cyber being encouraged by another disabled enduring senseof humiliation; after of being bulliedinchildhood andhis man finally overcomes thetrauma In based incuriosityoreven voyeurism. some of theirfollowers’ interest may be and mutual understanding, even though streamers seekemotional connections online communities, theselive- walking, andchatting. By establishing on thewall. For Marx, surveillance was suddenly appears onabigtelescreen be sharply rebuked by thebosswho in therestroom of thefactory, only to (1936), whenCharlietakes outacigar Charlie Chaplin’s film insight isvividly demonstrated in force inindustrial capitalism. Marx’s compliance asadisciplinedlabor factory workers to ensure their Marx’s argument aboutmonitoring where Qingtingfirst works recalls Karl used inthecattle farmin structures. The surveillance technology persist withinourchanging economic capitalism, older forms of surveillance with postindustrial, neoliberal global surveillance are deeply entwined of subjectivity andself-empowerment. boundaries andenhancestheirsense Present Perfect While thesemodesof self- , adisabled young Modern Times Modern Times Dragonfly

food inthefactory every day (although names, andboth eat thestandardized cows are called by numbers rather than capitalism alike, asboth workers and in industrial andpost-industrial standardization andimpersonalization surveillance alsosuggests theforces of by physical distance. Electronic from another country, unconfined workers andcowsphone viahissmart manager canremotely scrutinize advanced. AsKe Fan explains, the that of thefactory butismuch more employed to monitor workers mirrors Dragonfly by, new forms of capitalism. In coexist within, andare even magnified technologies of industrial capitalism (Lyon 1994, 25). The temporalities and and maximize technical efficiency maintain control onbehalf of capital labor andcapital; itspurposewas to located withinthestruggles between be soreal that itbecomesunreal. technologically-mediated reality can the deeply haunting strangeness of of digitalimages. Asthefilmshows, on andre-understanding of thenature commentary, the Unreal subject of thenext section. digital realism? These issueswillbethe temporality, cinematic ontology, and of surveillance footage inrelation to understand thetension andcomplexity (Wise 2004, 428). How should we and spatial dimensionsare lost” “unrealness,” because “many sensory feeling mediation ofor artificial and silent imagery alsocreates a resolution, sometimes monochrome instantaneity; however, thelow- of simultaneity, “telepresence,” and sense of “realness” dueto theillusion standardized surveillance convey a the cows get greater variety). Beyond itsengagement insocial II.Digital Realism: The Ultra-real and In Dragonfly , thesurveillance technology Dragonfly , such scenesof DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 isareflection 71 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) formal devices orthematic components and creates therealistic effect with imagery restores thetexture of reality realistic attitude, aslong asdigital not necessarily imply theendof a end of the “photographic era” does to digital, we may assumethat the argues that inmoving from analog 38). Francesco Casetti, for example, image-based media(Hassan2017, rather ontological, questions about again foregrounded fundamental, or digital technologies that have once place against thedevelopment of including Bazin’s hasitself taken revaluation of classicalfilmtheory (Bazin 2005). Sincethelate 1990s, the the nature of image reproduction angle but doesnot artificially change the operator may select thecamera intervention such asapainter’s hand; reproduction devoid of direct human image is anautomatic mechanical ontologically more realistic sincethe painting, photography andcinemaare to traditional visualforms such as Bazin. Bazinargues that, incomparison to to turn theFrench filmcriticAndré photographic realism, itisnecessary When itcomesto theontology of “[p]aradoxically thesurveillance range. AsPaola Baretto Leblanc argues, maximum information withintheir visual spectrum inorder to collect the cover thelargest possible spatial and high angles andlong shots; andthey they are almost always static, with angles, positions, andframings; than aesthetic ones: they have fixed are usedfor practical purposesrather or shot scales. Surveillance cameras cameraman selecting camera angles of kind of ultra-realism, sinceitisdevoid self-generating andautonomous, a cameras might beregarded astotally footage generated by surveillance photochemical-digital transformations) level (ifwe donot emphasize the (Casetti 2011). any Following Bazin, ontheontological humanintervention, even the footage recorded inearlieryears (pre- instance, in development andtransformation. For diverse andsubject to technological fixed entity; rather, such cameras are that a “surveillance camera” isnot a Dragonfly ordinary to bloom” (Leblanc 2009, 108). functions, “allows apoetic of the from itspreventative orrepressive surveillance image, whenremoved Leblanc alsoconsiders that the of photo-aesthetics (cf. Xu 2017b). transcending ourtraditional notions cameras are at oncevividandpeculiar, the images captured by surveillance occurs”abnormal (Leblanc 2009, 104). only hasperceptible valueifsomething associated withdeviation; theimage significant occurs …visibilityhere is camera isthere to assure that nothing observed, inmost fictional films images classical Hollywood cinema. As Xu has created onscreen were both pivotal in reality andtheimpression of real”“the reality” (Gunning2007). The illusion of (Prince 1996)and “an impression of model of cinematic representation” “perceptual,”correspondence-based “a just indexical orontological but 2018, 49). plagued by constant jitters” (Kraicer motion, others jumpy orseemingly heavily pixilated, somewithsmooth sharp, somevery compressed, some images, Kraicer notes that “some [are] heterogeneous. Speakingof thefilm’s visual qualityandtexture of kinds of surveillance footage make the 2019, 131). These distinct phasesand lens usingembedded AItechnology (Xu of tracking andstretching thecamera automatic zooms, which are capable cameras feature night modeand recording. The most recent surveillance higher resolution andeven somesound positions. Later footage isincolor, with in low resolution withfixed camera issilent, black-and-white,2000s) and And yet, Xu Bingrealized that In adigitalage, “realism” isnot draws attention to thefact Dragonfly’ DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 s database, the Dragonfly

72 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) temporal duration, accentuating the the smooth reproduction of spaceand staccato andfreeze momentsdisrupt in somesurveillance footage, visual kind of alienation effect. For instance, creates alayer of visible mediation, a imprinted onthesurveillance images) temporalities (suggested by timecodes resolution footage pulled from different real. Furthermore, theassortedlow- unreal precisely because itistoo footage—the hyper-real becomes a fictional narrative from automatic people into actors andconstructed made footage, Xu transformed real an illusionof realism from human- into fictional characters andcreating filmmaking. Instead actorsof turning to effect areversal of conventional Xu and histeam used found footage is complicated in long takes. Andyet thisformulation origins of moving images withtheir might be considered areturn to the In thissense, surveillance footage reproducing reality (Xu and Zhai 2017). with thepurposeof reflecting and moving images were first invented illusion. This was not thecasewhen are manipulated to create arealistic fragmentary shots of people and (Xu 2019, 131). In ultimately emancipated thenarrative generating asenseof alienation that and went intheopposite direction, they neededdistance from realism Later, thecollaborators realized that continuity ineditingdevoid of tension. with typicalcausality innarration and style perceptual illusory “realism” elements worked towards Hollywood- lost itsedge andpower, sinceallthe this madethefilm too smooth. Ithad of classicalfictional cinema, but found the videoaccording to theprinciples team erased thetimecodesandedited experimentation. At first, Xu andhis itself was marked by disruption and surveillance video. texture, materiality, andmediumof The production of Dragonfly Dragonfly Dragonfly , many , for which

the audience’s aural identification of to beconsistent inorder to ensure Qingting’s andKe Fan’s voices had recurring figures or characters, surveillance footage doesnot provide cinema. illusion of realism in mainstream of contemplating andcritiquingthe then, canbeunderstood asamanner of perceptual andcognitive confusion, temporal consistency. The film’s sense the illusionof visualcontinuityand different temporalities andbreaking surveillance images, juxtaposing information embedded initspixelated the varioustimecodesandsource the spatial. Butthefilmalsopreserves temporal; thefinalfilm temporalizes serves to transform thespatial into the together into alinearnarrative that places from allover Chinaare edited Xiaoxiao, yet hervoice does not change identities? Qingtingvisually becomes or insubstance? What are their “true” Fan becomesQingting. Onthesurface Qingting becomes Xiaoxiao, andKe pretext. Through plastic surgery, visual inconsistency withnarrative “plastic surgery” inDragonfly provides the previous section, thethread of symbolic significancediscussedin in addition to thesociopoliticaland miscellaneous surveillance footage; layer of meaningto itsassemblage of in “plastic surgery” adds another reinvented andfluid. The film’s interest identities,and uncertain constantly characters’ unstable appearances tension andvolatility echoes itsmain 2018, 32). The film’s audiovisual these singular protagonists” (Grbich disparate locations are written into are blurred asinvoluntary actors in for which “individual differences main fictional characters in in surveillance footage becomethetwo Different real menandwomen captured inconsistency andaural consistency. energetic audiovisual tension: visual the characters. Herein liesthefilm’s According to Xu Bing, since the DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 Dragonfly , 73 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) creates asenseof anonymity, albeit alterations. “Plastic surgery,” that is, eyes are defeated by such physical Both humaneyes andsurveillance do surveillance cameras have?” we can’t tell themapart, what chance after herdisappearance, remarks: “if faces inhisefforts to trace Xiaoxiao images of young women withidentical Dragonfly and surveillance eyes are defeated. In identity documents. Both humaneyes their faces nolonger match their surgery look too much alike orbecause because young women after plastic identification” challenging, either makes theimplementation of “facial on amassive scale, plastic surgery other algorithm-based tracking tools uses facial recognition software and although surveillance technology her own facial being bothered by thechange of surgery” herself without, however, she later goes through “plastic her into thesecularworld, where spiritual equilibriumandcatapults temple disturbs thenunQingting’s This violent “plastic surgery” of the tree andthe the destruction of anancientgingko “renovating” thetemple leads to businessman’s investment in beginning of surveillance technology. Inthe appearance” that can “defy” even a “beautification” of “look/surface/ capitalism—is completed through commercialization incontemporary conforming to thetrends of transformation of one’s identity— as after “plastic surgery.” Andthe indistinct life asmuch invirtual identity becomesmalleable and another person.” but your voice andtone are thoseof him/her: “your look hasn’t changed, monastery where anolder nuntells becomes Qingtingandreturns to the and isrecognized by Ke Fan; Ke Fan As thefilmhighlights, human , apoliceofficer faced with fengshui Dragonfly fengshui of thetemple. , arich . Ironically, made” (Xu 2017a). The sounddesigner of themost ‘soundtracked’ films ever dubbed—as Xu claims, “it may beone dialogue in during postproduction inthestudio. All soundscape was entirely achieved narrative andcreating acredible silent surveillance footage into a standard fictional films. Reconstructing and ambientsounds)here differ from Sound design(includingdialogue relatively convincing characters. a consistent fictional narrative with sound designare vitalto construct these fractures. Voice dubbing and however, soundssuture andanchor fragmentary andvisually disorienting; presences inmaterial reality. traces randomly created by physical deliberate assemblage of visual Qingting to Ke Fan, whogets released later,” the perspective switches from with atitle announcing years“three computer hub. Inthemiddle of thefilm, the omniscientperspective of the Xiaoxiao’s disappearance aswell as and thepolicewhoinvestigate perspectivepartial of thecharacters within thenarration, includingthe multiple mediations that occur perspectives andaddress the voice layers alsosuggest complicated 2018). Aswiththefilm’s editing, the in order to inspire each other (cf. Li and editor constantly communicated making thefilm. Thesounddesigner were intertwinedintheprocess of look.” distance resonant withits “surveillance very qualityagaincreates analienating been criticized asamateurish, this spaces. Although thevoice acting has and volume across different acoustic characters, andto adjust thetexture actors’ tone, pitch, andtimbre to their narrative function, to sync thevoice to construct dialogues to ensure their Li Danfeng recounts theteam’s efforts unintentionally, echoed by Dragonfly Moreover, sounddesignandediting Dragonfly isintentionally DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 was written and Dragonfly ’s ’s 74 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) the “unrealness” andabsurdity of human-made catastrophes emphasize instance, contingent natural and spectacle” (Hillier 1996, 102). For everyday“turn[s] life into atheatrical series shocking montage sequences, the film’s narrative functions or,a in about to happen. Action eitherserves always something happening or depict aworld inwhich there is election andassemblage practices of surveillance footage, thefilm’s In contrast to theordinary emptiness editing—are dexterously employed. editing, continuityediting, andparallel in fictional films—such asanalytical editing techniques commonly used after theeditingprocess. In footage only gainsnew meanings (Shaviro 2003, 36). Surveillance which nothing whatsoever happens” it registers vast stretches of timein the emptiest expanses of space, and surveillance …watches over even Steven Shaviro’s words, “video repetitive, andmonotonous. In Surveillance footage canbeformulaic, and occasionally flamboyant. the film’s editingismore pronounced and realistic sounddesignin juxtaposition andtension. computerized voice are at oncein sense of the “unreal” evoked by the by amateurish voice acting andthe acoustic “authenticity”suggested surveillance metaphor. The senseof half-AI, manifestly artificial, anobvious This voice soundshalf-human and activities andnatural environments. robotized voiceover analyzing human pushed. We alsohearanomniscient Xiaoxiao jumpedfrom abridge orwas they attempt to figure outwhether shots, andfreeze specificimages as forward andrewind, zoom inoncertain in front of acomputer screen. They fast examining other surveillance footage officers inthesurveillance footage Qingting. We see(andhear)afew police from looking prisonandstarts for In comparisonto theunderstated Dragonfly Dragonfly 13 13 , , horrors such asfatal accidents, car 49) of sensationalist violence and plotless montages” (Kraicer 2018, trivial (Xu 2019, 133). and intimacy seemboth fragile and corrupt world, romantic love, privacy, characters’ sentiments; inachaotic and and Ke Fan andact asafoil to the on thelove story between Qingting the plot, thedisaster collages comment world. Although not directly related to proving that we live inanunpredictable beyond ourcontrol andimagination, happens, thefootage isinstantly scary oreerie; oncesomething footage issoquiet that itbecomes According to Xu Bing, most surveillance can explode inthenext second. suspenseful, sinceunexpected disaster the most mundanefootage could look reality. Undersuch circumstances, violating itsnature. “The representation and cannot berepresented without purest form. Itmust beexperienced time, thequalitative instant inits way theabsolute negative of objective like thesexual act, death isinits own Afternoon,” inwhich Bazinargues that of André Bazin’s essay, “Death Every (McKay 2013, 334). This isreminiscent lives of strangers for creative pursuits” tensions of appropriating thesurveilled nonfiction footage, that is,“the ethical questions of ethics andexploitation in 2018, 78). The choice foregrounds dispassionate, for itisreal” (Frazier footage isashorrific asitisbanaland life. Asonecritic pointsout, “this that hadjust swallowed ahuman result: theserene surface of thecanal temporality by fast-forwarding to the of herstruggle, thefilmmanipulates surveillance camera. Towards theend under theindifferent gaze of the process of herdeath inreal duration drowns. We witnessthewhole silent which agirlfalls into acanaland Dragonfly a viscerally unsettling real death. crashes, andexplosions even includes The display of “more ‘pure,’display The openswithalong take in DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 75 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) possibilities of new life. Dragonfly stages aclaimaboutthe and re-editing of surveillance footage, past, ormyown future?” Withitsre-sue at thefilm’s end: “WillIhave Qingting’s (Lingenfelter 2018). AsKe contemplates between andKe Qingting/Xiaoxiao Fan film andembodied by the relationship death andrebirth—are central to the exist inanendless cycle of life and themes—the ideathat humanbeings notes that Buddhist concepts and (Kraicer 2018, 49). Andrea Lingenfelter and gives itanovel destabilizing power film sodisquieting anddisorienting, generating mechanism that makes the questioning; itisthisambivalence- activate andimplicate ourethical self- of such sequencesallows themto Kraicer’s view, thecontextualization Dragonfly as thegirldiesonscreen every time sequence ismagnified by its repetition, ontological obscenity” (Bazin2003, 30). much for itsobjective horror asfor its twice …[Itis]anintolerable sight not so a metaphysical one. We donot die obscenity, nolonger amoral one, rather of areal death,” Bazinobserves, “is an Surveillance in sounds, and voiceover narration. dubbed dialogues, fabricated ambient the film’s reliance onscripted and silent surveillance footage, asdoes its assemblage of dispersed and story in and future. The highly metaphorical informational capitalism’s present unreal technological mediations of questions abouttheultra-real and new meanings, thefilm raises blocks andsoundtrack to enhance of such footage while utilizingshot discursive sociopoliticalconnotations of varioustypes. Attending to the and transforms surveillance footage Dragonfly Conclusion The ethical issueof thisopening Dragonfly isshown. However, inShelly edits, aestheticizes, Dragonfly holds together isnot just contemporary developments indigital one which isonly possible with practiced anew modelof “filmmaking,” shooting process, Xu andhisteam have actors, acinematographer, studio, or surveillance. the footage, yet another layer of by GPSinformation appearing on forpermissions image rights, facilitated appearing inthefilm to obtain their and contact most of the real people crew was alsoable to track, identify, impermanent” (Rayns 2018, 19). The and discourse “reality”is “illusory Buddhist samsara, withinwhose imbued withanold form of religiosity: of nihilism andsensorialindulgence that anticipates adystopian vision and distraction-inducing technology manipulation, butalsoaprofit-making a top-down instrument of political community of spectators of different places inChinato aglobal gaze” of surveillance footage from Dragonfly (Xu 2017d). Andthedistribution of so-called “boundaries of reality” inspires anew understanding of the filmset.an enormous Thispractice to allof China, which became inturn footage, hisstudio was connected collected anddownloaded surveillance computers in Xu’s studio incessantly large numberof workers. As thetwenty the needfor “raw materials” orhiringa consumers, andcommodities, without a platform to connect laborforces, computational to support provide and soon)(cf. Xu 2017c)that use capitalism (Uber, Airbnb, Postmates, business modelsintechnological recent so-called “sharing economy” Xu links thisfilmmakingmethod with are allourcameramen” (Xu 2017c). “surveillance cameras allover China human agency in image was madeormanipulated by databases. As Xu notes, nosingle availability of surveillance footage technology andmedia, that is, the Making afictional filmwithout furtherconnects the “local 14 DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 Dragonfly —instead, Dragonfly

76 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) phenomena have beenrecorded even supernatural andunexplainable time andspace. In Xu’s words: “these and even project the “truth” to afuture timesandplaces,happens incertain magnetic fields canpreserve what magnetic recording” in thefilmthat a mystical cosmicconcept of “geo- in theaudiovisual archive. There is past were preserved only orprimarily could alter ourview of history ifthe consider that surveillance images (Lyon 2006, 14). future isitself seeninsimulated forms” the present, that counts. Yet that occurs, itisitsrole inthefuture, not images intheinstantcertain theevent While the surveillance camera captures paradoxical unreality of ‘real time.’ presence isdownplayed inthe Lyon, “in thepresent, ironically, under capitalism. According to David contours of thesocialimagination for thefuture. They suggest the (McCahill 1998, 41). both spatial andtemporal barriers” surveillance seemsto “transcend and international film festivals. Thus galleries,in art andfilmtheaters, Surveillance images are intended comments onearlierdrafts. Iamalsograteful to Angela Xiao Wu, MarkWilliams, Chen, LuoGang, HannahBrooks-Motl, andIngridBecker have provided insightful reviewers for theirinspiringsuggestions. Stephanie Su, Jin Xu, EricaStein, Po-hsi Anne Peters, Elduque andAlbert for theirpatience andsupport, andtwo anonymous The author wishesto thanktheeditors CamilUngureanu, SoniaArribas, Rebecca Acknowledgements (Deborah Stratman, 2002, 33min), For instance,2/ Surveillance Capitalism manipulation. SeeLyon’s results intherequisition of personal privacy, racial discrimination, andcommercial their knowledge, for purposessuch assecurityandmarketing. Data-surveillance collection, analysis, andcategorization of data from citizens, mostly without 1/ This isdistinct from “data-surveillance,” which designates thesystematic in preparing for thisarticle. Hongfeng, BelindaQianHe, andDaMengnaof Xu Bingstudio for theirgenerous help Pao-chen Tang, Michelle Stewart, Noelle Griffis, Yomi Braester, Renren Yang, Tang Dragonfly Der Riese beginsto (2019). The ElectronicEye (Michael Klier, 1984, 82min), Faceless increased circulation of surveillance would theoverproduction and surveillance gadgets andstrategies, (Gates 2017, 188). Withmore advanced from present actions andconditions possible outcomes that could result prepare, andcontrol for therange of purpose of surveillance isto foresee, determinist tendencies. The primary inflected with technologically and controlling thefuture, ideas encompasses ideasaboutpredicting present.” of “the sense “Surveillance” is viewed, there isalways astrong the past; whensurveillance footage (if preserved) becomes anarchive for in thefuture, yet surveillance footage to prevent something from happening (Xu 2017d) Ifsurveillance isinstalled deleted andoverlaid by new ones)!” generations (theseare automatically could preserve theseimages to future by surveillance cameras, only ifwe and bleak, expressive andcorrupt. future of capitalism, both invigorating the precarious potentials of thedigital Dragonfly intimacy? Asahighly reflexive film, audiovisual future andhyper-mediated images suggest ahyper-surveillant (ManuLuksch, 2007, 50min), (1994)and Zuboff’s epitomizes andembodies In Order Not to Be Here In OrderNotto Be DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 The Age of We Live

77 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) science fiction film Others include 4/ large numbers of observation cameras andCCTV securitysystems found inSeoul.” The beginningcredits3/ state: images usedinthisfilm were captured“the by the 67 min). (Michael Palm, 2011, 95min), and in Public Phoenix its politicalconnotations, see Junjie Jiang’s “The Doubleness of Sight/Site: Xu Bing’s New York Cityfor oneyear in2014. For amore deliberate discussionof thiswork and also exhibited intheCathedral Church of St. Heights,John theDivineinMorningside information, see: mid-air insideMASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museumof Contemporary Art). For more internally illuminated birds premiered outsideChinawhenthey were suspended Museum inBeijing, andthenat theShanghaiWorld Expoin2010. InApril2013, the idea of rebirth. The installations were exhibited briefly outdoors at the Today Art in theWest andinChinathemotif of andmythology thephoenixcorrespond to the labor, history, capital, andcommercial development incontemporary China. Both laborers. The mystical birds bearwitnessto thecomplex interconnection between demolition debris, steel beams, tools, andremnants of thedaily lives of migrant entirely from materials salvaged from construction sites in urbanChina, including approximately onehundred feet long andtogether weigh twelve tons) fabricated Phoenix 8/ Xu BingandChineseconstruction workers created the installation work details/188?classID=12&type=class 7/ For more information aboutthisproject, see: a story.” collected ahuge amount of footage andtriedto usethese fragments of reality to tell surveillance recordings have beenstreamed online. SoItook uptheproject again. I surveillance cameras inChinahave beenlinked to thecloud database: countless footage since2013, butIhadnoaccessto thenecessaryresources. Since2015, film features Xu Bing’s statement: “Ihave wanted to make afilm from surveillance outside of mainlandChina, for instance, from Taiwan, Afghanistan, andSpain. The According to thecredits6/ at theendof thefilm, some footage was captured Reassemblage of ChineseUrbanSpace” (2016). footage. For more information, seeBraester’s “The CityasFound Footage: The China composedof both surveillance footage andstaged shots imitating surveillance channel videowork aboutdaily violence andmoral degeneration incontemporary amateur videographers inGuangzhou, and Huang Weikai, 2009, 58min), adocumentary constructed from footage madeby InaChinesecontext,5/ similarworks include eventually exploring new businessmodels such ase-commerce. 17% of allpeople video gaming andexpanded to live-streamers chatting with viewers, singing, and later itdeveloped into amore centralized industry monopoly. Itstarted with in 2015and2016, duringwhich more than700live streaming platforms appeared; January 13, 2020]. Live-streaming inChinaandexploded sprouted intheearly 2000s see: For alist ranking12/ themost popular Chinese live-streaming platforms in2019, discreet camera-eyes” (Yang 2017, 263). nevertheless have developed ahabitualinsensitivity to the existence of those overawe criminalsandpreempt possible crimes, thepublicinaviewer society 11/ InChina, asRenren Yang argues, “although thesecuritycamera intends to Itisalsoapractical storytelling10/ device onwhich Iwill expand inthenext section. 9/ Emphasized by Xu Bingin aninterview (cf. Lee 2018). http://www.enet.com.cn/article/2019/0716/A20190716948154.html asanIntended Public Project” Art (2018). from 2007to 2010. Itfeatures two monumentalphoenixes (each measures (Ondi Timoner, 2009, 91min), https://massmoca.org/event/xu-bing-phoenix/ The Truman Show The Truman The RunningMan The Road Movie (Paul Michael Glasser, 1987), andsoforth. (Peter Weir, 1998), [accessed January 15, 2020]. Low Definition Control—Malfunctions#0 Whose Eyes Disorder http://www.xubing.com/en/work/ ( Doroga (Tan Tan, 2011, 15min), afour- EDtv ( Xianshi shiguoqudeweilai, , DmitriiKalashnikov, 2016, DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 (Ron Howard, 1999), the The Phoenixes were [accessed

78 Vol. VIII Article comparative cinema No. 14 LING ZHANG 2020 Foreshadowing the Future of Capitalism: Surveillance Technology and Digital Realism in Xu Bing’s Dragonfly Eyes (2017) Surveillance.” In Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Columbia University Press. and Media Chinese UrbanSpace.” InG the Societyof theSpectacle edited andtranslated by HughGray, 9–16. Berkeley: University of California Press. Press. Corporeal Cinema, Cambridge: Polity. and Ursula Frohne. Cambridge: MIT Press. Brother Surveillance toBig fromBentham and Nick Couldry, 109–24. New York: Routledge. Media/Space: Place, Scale, and CultureinaMediaAge Pluto Press. Australia, and thePolitics of Spirit. Bibliography at at we haven’t beenable to reach. Ifyou should beany of them, please kindly contact us rights of most people whoappear inthisfilm. However, there are still a few people There14/ isastatement intheendof thefilmassuch: “we have obtained theimage to Xu.Jia Zhangke’s Yoshihiro Hannowhoworked on The professional13/ French editor Matthieu Laclau and Japanese composer (2019). information, seeSiyiChen’s “Is This Real Life: The Live Streaming Craze Explained” orevenportion social ladder withtheircollective power. Somefactory workers spendaconsiderable working-class viewers, to make thembelieve that they brought oneof fight for attention and to induceenvy from other viewers. Itisa fantasy sold to the “tips,” andsometimes tipping orgiftingbecomesacompetition to flaunt wealth, to in Chinahave watched alive-streaming video. Live-streamers make money from [email protected] Bauman, Zygmunt andDavid Lyon. 2013. Baudrillard, Jean. 2002. “Telemorphosis.” In Andrejevic, Mark. 2004. “The webcam subculture andthedigitalenclosure.” In Allen, M. 1994. “‘See You intheCity!’ Perth’s CitiplaceandtheSpaceof Albuquerque, Paula. 2018. T Abbinnett, Ross. 2018. Braester, Yomi. 2016. “The CityasFound Footage: The Reassemblage of Beller, Jonathan.2006. Bazin, André. 2003. “Death Every Afternoon.” In edited by Katherine GibsonandSophieWatson, 137–47. Leichhardt: Mountains MayDepart , edited by Johan Andersson andLawrence Webb, 157–77. New York: 2005. “The Ontology of thePhotographic Image.” In all Metropolis Now: Planningand theUrbaninContemporary of theirsalaryontipping theirfavorite live-streamer. For more edited by Ivone Margulies, 27–31. Durham: Duke University London: Routledge. The Thought ofStiegler: Bernard Capitalism, Technology Cinematic Modeof Production: AttentionEconomy and .” lobal CinematicCities: New Landscapes of Film . Dartmouth: College Dartmouth Press. Dragonfly Eyes he Webcam asanEmergingCinematicMedium. ( Shan heguren , edited by Thomas Levin, Peter Weibel, Liquid Surveillance: AConversation. hadboth worked on Jia , 2015), andwere recommended by Ctr[space]: Rhetorics of Rites of Realism: Essays on , edited by AnnaMcCarthy DOI: 10.31009/cc.2020.v8.i14.05 What IsCinema?, them upthe

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