A new Qianmen Street: analysis of the Chinese performance “New Beijing, New Marriage”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22409/arte.lugar.cidade.v3i1.70308Keywords:
performace art, queer activism, urban space, ChinaAbstract
A year after the Beijing Olympics, the documentary "New Beijing, New Marriage," by directors Fan Popo and David Zheng, records the performance of two homosexual couples – brides Dana and Buxiu, and grooms Haibei and Zhangyi – who posed for photos, wearing wedding attire, in the middle of Qianmen Street. Based on this action, I analyze the socio-political context of the LGBT+ population in contemporary China, exploring the specificities of this experience in dialogue and contrast with hegemonic Western narratives. The analysis is also articulated within the context of the accelerated construction that has redefined the country's urban fabric in the new millennium. To this end, I draw on bibliographic reviews that examine art, identity, and the city, taking a leap into the past to understand present-day globalized China. The article thus explores the dynamics of the emergence of new landscapes and new identities, considering the country's growing relevance on the world stage.
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