Yin Xiuzhen - Tapa dura

One of the most popular Chinese artists exhibiting internationally, and the first female Chinese artist to be exhibited at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, Yin Xiuzhen (born 1963) is one of the most intriguing artistic chroniclers of modern life in China, and of the massive changes its economic boom has wrought upon the urban landscape. Perhaps her best known work is her Portable City series, for which she reconstructs world cities inside suitcases, using clothing recycled from residents of the city. Conjuring both fairy tales and thrift stores, these pieces originated in Xiuzhen's witnessing the urban transformations of her native Beijing. Fabric and recycled clothing are recurrent materials throughout her sculptures. This substantial, 308-page catalogue is the first broad retrospective of her work to date, with 300 color illustrations and numerous reviews and interviews.