“Heteroscapes”: Artist Wang Bo’s urban landscapes in transition

Wang Bo’s photographic project Heteroscapes reveals a portrait of urban spaces and landscapes in economic and social transition in contemporary China, with a focus on the city of Chongqing in particular. The name “heteroscape” is a reference to Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopias, which refers to an alternative region somewhere between real and utopian spaces, invoking spaces where China’s past, present and future are interlinked.

These spaces not only represent the current reality, but also the new illusions of contemporary Chinese society. According to the artist, the frequent demolitions and construction depicted in the work symbolize the absence of any historic uniformity. Instead, tradition and modernity overlap here giving birth to contradictory architecture.