Shangri-La
Archival pigment ink prints on rag paper. Sizes variable, 2014
Shangri-La is an imaginary place in China, described as a mystical and utopian valley shielded from the world by a chain of mountains – a true paradise on Earth. At present, China is among the world’s fastest growing economies. In contemporary China, the enormous cities populated by millions have become a kind of promised land for hordes of fortune seekers from rural areas. This series focuses on China’s hotbeds of the most intensive economic activity, exploring contemporary cityscape transformations in Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Particular attention is paid to neighbourhoods that have been semi-cleared of old buildings, in preparation for the construction of new skyscraper districts. At night, it becomes apparent that the urban planning of new areas, re-housing of residents, demolition and construction are all being carried out on an apocalyptic scale, often while the partly demolished buildings continue to be inhabited.
Artist's Bio:
Alnis Stakle (1975) lives and works in Latvia. He has been participating in exhibitions since 1998. "I have always been interested in the relationship of visual identity to social constructions and collective myths. My travel routes in the urban environment are based on the search for the seemingly significant and insignificant places in the city, turning to those which, in their essence, are unstable and characterise both erosion and development of the environment simultaneously."