静默 (Shredded Truth), 2022

Installation Art

Censored News, Paper Shredder

The artwork “Shredded Truth” (2022) is my response to the white-paper-revolution, a significant protest movement challenging government censorship in China during the post-pandemic reopening phase. This installation symbolizes the traditional power dynamics between the ruling government and the populace, depicting a top-down approach to authority. The core of this piece is a series of Chinese news articles, downloaded and then shredded. These articles, which narrate the harrowing experiences of individuals living under China's stringent Zero-Covid policies, were often censored mere hours after being collected in November 2022. This period saw the emergence and escalation of the #whitepapermovement, marking the most extensive protests in China in three decades(Yang, 2023).

“Shredded Truth” subverts this narrative through a performative act, where a continuous scroll of pre-censored media posts is methodically destroyed by an automated shredding machine. This act serves both as a mimicry and a critique of governmental censorship, highlighting the struggles and suppressed voices under an overly controlled society. The installation metaphorically positions the shredder as the government, and the news articles as the embodiment of free speech, thereby reflecting the ongoing political strife. This artistic expression stands in opposition to the pervasive control and violence exerted by the state, offering a poignant commentary on the conflict between authority and freedom of speech, as discussed by Benjamin (277-300).