Romantique, Wang Qingsong, photograph, 2003

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The setting of Romantique took more time to construct than that of China Mansion. There were around 25 people working for a week, sometimes around the clock. Because small ponds were to be an element of the environment, I was left with two options: to create ponds on the flat ground or to dig underneath the ground to make holes. Actually, we did neither, partially building up and partially digging down. To make them appear deeper, I told workers to use black cloth to cover the bottom of the ponds. The huge sky backdrop was simply spray painted by a group of five people in two days. For days we worked together and screwed plastic leaves onto the bare branches, made styrofoam stones and shells, and planted trees. It was a successful collaboration among artist friends, hired workers, and me. I learned a lesson from the uneven lighting in the shooting of China Mansion, and this time asked the crew to light the entire setting at the same time, which requires more people and good timing, but was worthwhile.

In Romantique, one seems to walk into a land that is half the heaven of western religion and half a pastoral Chinese garden. There are cheap plastic leaves, fruits, flowers, and decorations. The little ponds in this paradise emit a light smoke created from dry ice. Viewers can imagine false happiness in this fabricated beautiful paradise. Models act out the figures in western masterpieces by Massacio, Velasquez, Botticelli, Raphael, and Matisse. There's a Chinese golden Buddha, beautiful princesses, and livestock. There's a western girl and a Chinese man and his little girl, highlighting the potential conflicts of this complicated international dialogue. These people are very happy, peaceful, and without desire. Like in China Mansion, the communication in Romantique is forced, manufactured, chaotic, and confusing-a fabricated prosperity and happiness, like a utopia that can't be realized.

For more information on Wang Qingsong please visit: www.wangqingsong.com

(Wang Qingsong, August 2003)