This project stems from my reading of Orientalism and reflections on the county in which I live. In recent years, internet aesthetics have created a visual stereotype of the county: smoggy, men and women under red lights, exaggerated make-up and colourful prints, constructing an almost utopian image of the county. People have gradually reduced the county town to a symbolic visual style, ignoring the emotions and culture behind it.

As a country town resident, the county life I experienced was not a visual symbol simplified and consumed, but a concrete space filled with physical and emotional perception. I attempt to break the rigid and singular aesthetic of the county town in this project, by deconstructing and recombining the architectural contours, negative spaces within the building, and costumes, in order to counter the gaze of the higher ups on the county town. I hope to use this project to restore the true county town and the memories behind it.

This project is not only an exploration of real county life, but also a deep reflection on how we can avoid stereotypes when viewing things. I hope that through this project, we can break the media’s misunderstanding of ‘county aesthetics. I hope everyone can rethink those simplified visual symbols and cultural labels, re-examine marginalized cultures and populations, and realize the complex emotional and social backgrounds behind them.