Xu Zhen (MadeIn)
Shanghai, China
Art Medium
Installation Art
Mixed Media
Performance Art
Art Style
Collage
Conceptual
About the Artist
Xu Zhen, born in 1977 in Shanghai, China, is one of the most significant and often controversial figures in contemporary Chinese art. In 2009, he established MadeIn Company, a "culture production company" that operates as a collective and platform for his multifaceted artistic and curatorial projects. Xu Zhen's work, which spans installation, photography, video, performance, and painting, is characterized by its sharp conceptual rigor, satirical wit, and critical engagement with globalization, consumerism, and the dynamics of the art world itself. He frequently re-contextualizes or re-enacts historical events, cultural artifacts, and artistic tropes, blurring the lines between creation, appropriation, and critique to challenge perceptions of authenticity and value in an increasingly interconnected world.