People's Republic of Zoo (2009)

Overview

People's Republic of Zoo is inspired by George Orwell's 1945 classic novella Animal Farm. Orwell described his book as a satirical tale against Stalin. Sun Xun's animation is at once a critique and a celebration of political allegory, as well as an exploration of myriad animal forms and the equally numerous ways in which humans have represented them. Xun produces his animations by hand, often in gallery spaces while the artist is in residence, drawing on the wall. He also creates his works with Pi Animation, an animation studio in Beijing which he founded and runs. His recurring topics are the contradictions and gaps between official history and personal testimony.