Lantian Xie
* 1988 Jiangsu, China. Lives in Dubai.
Romance Section. 2016–2019
All the books from the romance section at a used bookshop
Partially produced by Sharjah Art Foundation
Courtesy of the artist and Grey Noise, Dubai
About the work
Lantian Xie's work evolves from careful observation of situations, stories and everyday vernacular that are local to the United Arab Emirates as well as similar places of transience. These places appear as amalgamations of 'elsewheres' but nevertheless possess a specificity all their own. Migrant workers make up the majority of the resident population in the UAE, with many of the domestic live-in maids coming from the Philippines.
For his SB14 project, Xie explores notions of place through the offerings of a second-hand bookshop in the Satwa neighborhood of Dubai. He is curious about the people who bring and buy these books, the temporary condition of their stay, the extra-national labour markets where they are employed and the act of leaving their possessions behind.
Romance Section (2016-2019) is a collection of the romance books at the second-hand bookstore. These books, purchased wholesale, tell stories of encounters, intrigues, chances, intoxicants and ghosts. As few of these titles see primary market distribution, much of this printed material has found its way to Dubai with people travelling in and out of the city.
Text from the Sharjah Biennial 14 Guidebook
© 2019 Sharjah Art Foundation
Al Hamriyah Studios, eight participants. Journey Beyond the Arrow, curated by Zoe Butt. 7 March - 10 June 2019, UAE.