Jinghao Shen

This visual artwork is adapted from the 1939 film ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ starring Judy Garland and produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). It tells the story of Sichuan Dorothy’s brave pursuit of love while singing folk songs.

The film puts the spotlight on a ‘chivalrous girl’ – a character often featured in Chinese martial arts literature and cinema. Set against a small town with a surreal backdrop, the film depicts this heroine from a bygone era strolling through the modern world. Played by the artist himself, the figure of the chivalrous girl ignites an enquiry into queerness.

Self-described “traitor to my male gender,” Da Xi Ge has known herself for some 55 years, but has never possessed the vocabulary to adequately express this knowledge. This documentary short, overlaid with a kaleidoscope of symbols of traditional femininity, follows the day-to-day life of a scavenger, as she prepares for her dream of sitting for a wedding portrait.