Software

Like the movies that you can buy for 4 rmb on the street corner, most software comes from a dao ban die – pirated disk. An operating system or new virus software is about 15-20 rmb usually, but I was trying to find zhen ban – the non-pirated version. After asking around Computer City I found someone selling the authorized version of XP Pro…for two thousand rmb. Yes, one hundred times the street price and about level with an average person’s monthly salary here. Perhaps a local could bargain for more of a discount than I managed, but no wonder nobody buys the real stuff.

Biennale

Chengdu's biannual art show is held far south of the centre, in the heart of our high tech district which to this foreigner is confusing to navigate and has the feel of being permanently under construction. It is a fitting location for the show, which has the theme Reboot. Many of the works were very new, created within the past year or so.



Much of the art was uses traditional media and techniques depicting modern themes, or modern media with a very tradtional feel. One example is this piece of plexiglass pierced with holes; the shadow on the wall makes the image:



There were some interesting pieces that mixed an image with sculpture. Here is one with a virus theme:



Texture and Light:




This is the final frame from a series called Entertainment Family: Demolition by Zhou Yong. The character is one we see on many traditional buildings that are fated to be torn down.