(Xu Bing: Phoenix)

Content: Drawing inspiration from the contemporary realities of his fast-changing country, Chinese artist Xu Bing spent two years creating his newest work, Phoenix. The installation features two monumental birds fabricated entirely from materials harvested from construction sites in urban China, including demolition debris, steel beams, tools, and remnants of the daily lives of migrant laborers. At once fierce and strangely beautiful, the mythic Phoenixes bear witness to the complex interconnection between labor, history, commercial development, and the rapid accumulation of wealth in today's China. The film Xu Bing: Phoenix documents the process of creating the work through to its installation at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASSMoCA).

Countries:

China,

United States of America

Genres:

Documentary

Runtime:

18 minutes

Year:

2013

Directors:

Daniel Traub

Actors:

Himself

Crews:

Director

Writer