·Xiao Xiong·Beijing

《That Tiger》
Multimedia installation
installation / performance / video
Yangjiawan Village, Yan'an Baota District
May 21, 2006

In a famous article regarding imperialism, Mao Zedong examined whether imperialist powers were real tigers, iron tigers, or paper tigers.On May 21, 2006, artist Xiao Xiong installed a sheet-metal iron tiger which he had produced in a historical battle field near Yan’an.Military cadets from Yan’an University then smashed the tiger.

Through this action, the work drew upon the image of a historical war scene, to correspond with the current reality today, using the methods of re-presentation and montage to directly enter into discussion.Through the parable and game of “bitterly beating the tiger”, the work cut at the hegemony of current geopolitical landscape, at the same time it sought to verify the historical narrative.