Manifesto: Art Downgrade is a composite concept that combines art and economics, from the research of image production related to the popularity of low-cost smartphones and the slowdown of economic growth in China. Mass production by China’s online rural community and developed network infrastructure have created greater market wealth and contribute to emerging Internet cultures. This work advocates evaluate alternative perspectives and decentralization of urban narrative in contemporary art creation. By splicing green screen materials from the Internet and selfie clips made by mobile phones, the manifesto aims to evoke the creative impulse and imagination of ordinary people, to express their voice by using the integration of open-source media, technology, and daily labor in creation.
Ruiqi Zhang, born in 1994, Liaoning Liaoyang, China, is a media artist and writer currently based in Richmond VA, United State. He received MFA in Kinetic Imaging from Virginia Commonwealth University and BA in Visual Communication Design from Luxun Academy of Fine Arts.Ruiqi’s art and research combine critical thinking about Internet culture and China’s online rural community. His work was exhibited in Asian North 2020 Festival, Online Performance Art Festival, Cardinal Space in Baltimore, MD, Manchester Contemporary Gallery, Anderson Gallery in Richmond, VA.
Director Statement
My art practice takes on the critical thinking of Internet culture and incorporates the study of the use of mobile technology by amateurs in the discussions of dual modernity and political citizenship. Standard media strategy and discourse structure are challenged in my work; I create a dialogue between online identities, image distribution system, media class divide, and complex narratives by addressing ways of expression in the form of Post-Internet art. By reassessing the definition of the amateur, my work makes room for the marginalized people who are not included in the mainstream media.
