England's Orient interrogates the appropriation and simulation of Chinese cultural elements within English landscapes. Through photographic exploration, this project captures the inauthenticity and hybridity in these ‘simulacra,’ reflecting Baudrillard's theory of hyperreality. The visual narrative dissects how Western interpretations of Chinese motifs culminate in environments that oscillate between reality and fantasy, challenging viewers to discern the nuanced interplay of cultural exchange and its colonial underpinnings. This artistic inquiry not only documents but also critiques the constructed visages of 'Chinese-ness' in a postcolonial context, prompting a re-evaluation of authenticity and representation in cultural portrayals.
