Fashionably Edgy

This spectacular show lacks the glossy glamour that we associate with haute couture. Instead, upon entry, one is propelled through a white tunnel spliced with a series of heavy pearl curtains that read “white cloud” in Chinese characters—only to emerge in a disorienting black room room punctuated with glinting, starry fiber optic strands.

Wandering around this exhibition is akin to a playful adventure in wonderland. All the senses, including smell, are awakened.For example, Zheng Guogo’s take on Dior’s 28-bottle perfume line is as a “transient icon of consumer culture.” Past and future are persistent motifs throughout the Chinese artists’ responses to the fashion mogul, exploring issues of preservation, reinvention or simply the Taoist concept of perpetual change.

Xu Zhongmin’s installation is an almost frightening riff on this theme. Xu evokes “the eternal cycle of Samsara" with his installation. Laid out on a converyer belt, scantily clad Giaccometti-esque skeletons whisk by the viewer so quietly that it looks like flipbook animation. The juxtaposition of fashion-meets-art, East-meets-West and past-meets-future makes for an interesting viewing.

There is something here for everyone to see—whether you prefer the conceptual subversions of the Chinese artists or the indubitably beautiful Dior dresses.

When strolling through the winding, raised walkway, it is difficult to embrace arguments that propound a supposed antagonism between fashion and art. Here the exhbition emphasizes dialogue and reciprocity between the two. By opening the doors to such creative dissent, Dior manages to secure its position as the pioneering “brand” of the fashion industry.

Emilia Fuller

Where: UCCA

When: Through Jan 15

Web: www.ucca.org.cn

How Much: ¥15