| Project title: | Suzhou is Burning |
| Location: | Suzhou, China |
| Date: | October – March 2025 |
Artist Statement
I am a multimedia artist fascinated by the concept of transformation and, recently, the role that masks play, both as physical objects and as metaphors. My work delves into the many layers of identity, exploring how it evolves, adapts, and reveals itself in different contexts. I am drawn to the tension between what is hidden and what is exposed, between the authentic self and the personas we craft to fit societal expectations.
Through a range of media, I investigate the fluidity of identity, challenging fixed notions of who we are. Masks, in my practice, become symbols of concealment, protection, performance, and metamorphosis. They allow me to explore themes of vulnerability, power, and the duality of human experience. My art aims to create a space where viewers can question their layers and confront the ever-shifting nature of selfhood.
Contextual Statement
My Final Major Project, ‘Suzhou is Burning’, explores the representation and visibility of Suzhou’s drag community, documenting lived experiences in the context of increasing restrictions on LGBTQ+ visibility in China. Suzhou, a historic city in Jiangsu, is known for its classical gardens and canals, and is home to a growing population and emerging subcultures. In recent years, the Chinese government has implemented measures to suppress LGBTQ+ representation, such as the cancellation of Shanghai Pride in 2020, the banning of “effeminate” men on television, and the closure of queer social media platforms (Bao 2018; Feng, 2021). The Ministry of Education’s 2021 call to “Prevent the Feminisation of Adolescent Males” further underscores efforts to enforce rigid gender norms (Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, 2021). Against this backdrop, drag in Suzhou emerges as a form of self-expression and an act of subversion. This project documents the events and performers, offering a nuanced insight into the realities of local LGBTQ+ individuals.
Drag is unique in modern China and remains largely underdeveloped. Documenting efforts to popularise and bring visibility to this movement is significant in the current climate of global governmental pushbacks against drag and the LGBTQ+ community— —such as Hungary’s ban on Budapest Pride (Nicholls, 2025), U.S. state laws restricting drag performances (Movement Advancement Project, 2025), and China’s state directives that delegitimise gender-nonconforming individuals, including the derogatolabelling of “effeminate men” (niangpao) in media and popular culture (Leung, 2021, Louie 2024).
Situated at the intersection of artistic practice, queer theory, and sociopolitical critique, the project highlights Suzhou’s drag culture as a site of resilience. By amplifying the voices of local performers, the work celebrates LGBTQ+ visibility and representation. The project illustrates the concept of a “global gay” identity (Altman, 1997), addressing the common issue of the oriental gaze often cast by Western media on queer life in China. The work captures performers as they reclaim their stories, asserting ownership of their queerness and cultural identities. Providing an authentic depiction through an “unflinching gaze” (Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, 2017).
The portfolio of work and the film’s title, “Suzhou is Burning,” parallels Jennie Livingston’s “Paris Is Burning” (1990), which documented New York City’s ball culture. While this reference is apparent, “Suzhou is Burning” differs in the lived experiences of its cast, who bring unique perspectives shaped by their Chinese heritage and the evolving global drag culture.
The project’s outcomes stem from exploring the emerging drag scene in Suzhou. However, queer culture in China remains somewhat underground due to the ambiguous legal status of LGBTQ+ individuals. The project outcomes document local artist SeantheDragQueen’s efforts to establish a drag scene in Suzhou.
The film references China’s long history of cross-dressing performances, such as the Dan character in Peking Opera and female-to-male cross-dressing characters in Yue opera. The work highlights the transnationality of contemporary drag in China. Western influences are evident, as the performances resemble those of a Western stage. The documentation highlights the crossover between Chinese cultural influences and RuPaul-style drag, which has gained popularity in China through platforms like Bilibili.
Thank you to Seanthedragqueen, PinkPeach and Suzhou’s drag community for their trust and collaboration in this project
Project Documentation
Audience Encounter
