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The Sketch
| MAY/JUN 2017 | ISSUE 103
Zhou Tao
In the Sketch, an artist who will be featured in our next issue
shares a drawing related to an upcoming project
Guangzhou-based Zhou Tao is primarily known
for his visually arresting videos with ambiguous
narratives. Born in 1976, Zhou uses his lens to
witness the rapidly changing environments (natural
and societal) across Asia and Europe. This sketch
is related to the artist’s ongoing research into the
idea of landscape in today’s built environment.
Zhou believes that a new form of topography has
emerged over the last few decades, which erodes
any and all specificities of place, activity or trends
that were previously pronounced, particularly in
mainland China and parts of Asia.
In a new work, which will be unveiled at the
upcoming Venice Biennale in May, Zhou will
piece together observed footage from different
geographies to form a nonlinear tale that explores
and questions humans’ relationship with brutally
altered nature.