Zimo Zhao

Valencia

Photography

My work takes a critical view of social events which have happened in the world and have a profound impact on our contemporary social environment. Often referencing social violent events, online celebrity culture and female security problems. And I also make self portraits to explore and communicate with myself.
My current project, “How I died in China” is an artwork to presents photographs of violent events in China. I recreate the scene of an actual crime, using my body to display the gruesomeness of the crime scene. I work to expose the ridiculousness behind these social crises. I look for way to discuss these complex situations interjecting myself into these situations as a way to show a connection with the people who were killed.
I recreate the scenes of violent crimes, referring to interviews from people who were at the scene of the crime. I make hand-made miniature models, replacing the actual victim with a cut out photo version of myself. All these events were once well planned violent crimes that caused major effects. On the right I display screenshoots of news reports of the crime.
Pressures from society causing personal meltdown leading to violent public events. Societies fascination with these murder scenes creates a cyclical system of fear. The press capitalizes on these feelings of fear, bringing these stories to the headline of daily news. This is due to the fact that after decades of years’ reform and opening-up, China economy has undoubtedly witnessed dramatic progress, alone with some problems: widening gap between the rich and the poor and, as a result of which, sharp social conflicts causing outrageous events, plus the mass media’s dissemination and exaggeration, makes the public scared. As a young woman, I internalize this violence which can exist anywhere and I am subject to these dangers at any time.

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Title: Alone

Medium: Digital Photography

Size: 17*19 inch

Purchase Price: 120

Title: 94109

Medium: Oil Painting

Size: 24in*30in

Purchase Price: 500

94109

Oil Painting

24in*30in

500