China in Black and White

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Beijing-based performance artist Zhao Bandi always seems to be walking a fine line between glorifying the new China and mocking it. Zhao can be seen, with his ever-present panda, photographed traveling the world, running marathons, sitting in traffic, visiting factories. On Sunday he held a premier for his Bandi Panda clothing, which he calls a "cardio tonic injection to the Chinese fashion industry."

I doubt the streets of Beijing will soon be filled with panda wear, but Zhao's show was a great spectacle. The models were all panda characters from today's China. There was a panda student, teacher, street sweeper, fashion victim, Olympian, mistress, corrupt official, prostitute and an Internet celebrity with an intentionally malfunctioning wardrobe. (Here's a gallery of the designs.) A panda dingzihu, or nail house resident, was followed by a satisfied looking panda property developer. When the migrant worker came out, carrying his black and white bindle, there was a momentary silence. It was as if the audience was thinking, "Is Zhao laughing at us, or with us?" Perhaps they were just thinking that hobo panda is hot.

Afterward the security guards pushed everyone out into the street. Perhaps they needed to be aggressive; the panda security guards were just standing around posing for pictures.

OK, one more photo:

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