MA PHOTOGRAPHY
Xiao Fu – The Surrogate
by Xiao Fu
The Surrogate is a mixed media project combining video installation and physical imagery. Inspired by the parallels between the controlled reproductive life of the giant panda and Chinese queer experiences of social pressure, these works explore the complexity of identity construction through synthetic images and tactile surfaces. Using a CGI panda as a digital avatar, The Surrogate weaves a narrative that is both absurd and emotional. Bodily materials attempt to physically deconstruct the image of the panda while introducing queer sensations linked to softness, eroticism, and unease that transcend the purely visual experience. Rather than seeking a stable truth about identity, the surrogate body remains in a state of perpetual rendering while maintaining a critical stance.










