Western Dream (2017-2018)

"Western Dream" is a film that offers a unique perspective on the rapid urbanization of Tsingtao, a city on China's east coastline that was once under German and then Japanese occupation from late imperial China until the end of WWII. The film takes viewers on a journey through the immense residential developments in Tsingtao, which were initially built for investment purposes rather than as homes for residents. These buildings, inspired by the utilitarian architectural style influenced by the Russian revolution, like many other Chinese urban landscapes, have undergone a drastic transformation over time.

What was once a simple and functional architectural model has now evolved into a curious blend of bourgeois adornments and grand imitations of Western classics. Focusing on a neglected apartment block in particular, the film reveals how locals, who were once farmers and fishermen, have infiltrated the gated courtyards and created their own mini-utopia within. By adopting and caring for individual buildings, they have transformed the opulent lobbies and future meeting rooms into spaces to store essential farming equipment. On the outside, they cultivate their own vegetables and wheat, creating a beautifully divided courtyard field.

Through this exploration of Tsingtao's changing landscape, "Western Dream" highlights the enduring philosophy and way of life that remain deeply ingrained despite the rapid transformations in China. By examining the past and its context, the film invites viewers to a slow observation of this enormous hybrid organism, seen by the artist as a manifestation of the interconnectedness of culture, tradition, and progress.

15’37’’

Credits:

Director: Lisa Chang Lee

Camarographer: Tan Yongbin

Editing: Manshen Lo

Sound Design: Zhe Wu, James Wilkie

Winner of Runner-up Prize (special mention), Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism 2019, South Korea

External Press: http://www.m100.cl/programacion/molten-capital-en-m100/