Berlin, save the date! Migrant Bird Space proudly announces the Berlin solo debut of Gulu, a striking showcase titled NIHILISTIC SUPERSTAR, running from January 30th to March 13th, 2026. In this captivating exhibition, Gulu presents a collection of photographs, crafted between 2021 and 2023, that poignantly capture the emotional landscape of our age. His work lays bare the experiences of young individuals wrestling with feelings of loneliness, desire, and fractured intimacy amidst a backdrop of existential uncertainty.
As we traverse an era dominated by algorithms and driven by the impulse for efficiency, we increasingly sacrifice our ability to feel. In this “age of emotional poverty,” highlighted by philosopher Byung-Chul Han, our emotional landscapes grow flatter, our pains diluted, and genuine intimacy replaced with a sterile digital façade. However, in Gulu’s evocative imagery, the body emerges as a resilient space of resistance, pushing back against a world that demands we conform to neat, predictable narratives.
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In Gulu’s lens, we encounter bodies that exist in unfiltered reality: curled up, twisted, intoxicated, or leaning on one another, navigating the shadows and the harsh light alike. This excess of expression is not a sign of decay but rather an affirmation of life, the transgression that signifies our will to exist fully.
Here, intimacy is depicted not as a steadfast promise but as a collection of fleeting connections, where loneliness morphs into a bubble-like existence, isolating us in our contemporary condition. The body transcends the role of an object; it becomes a site where contradictions arise and collide without resolution.
The exhibition does more than pose a question; it probes at the very heart of our humanity in a post-human landscape. As artificial intelligence alters knowledge and algorithms fabricate desires, Gulu’s images illuminate a flickering truth: our vulnerabilities, our chaos, and the enduring wish to connect.
These photographs serve as prophecies, warning against an impending reality where we risk morphing into “precise people.” Gulu’s work reminds us that our humanity resides in our imperfections, our instabilities, and our inherent unpredictability.
Marking Gulu’s first significant showcase in Berlin, this exhibition explores themes of youth, intimacy, and resistance in the algorithmic age. With raw visual narratives addressing emotional exhaustion and the shifting tides of post-human identity, Gulu’s work is a vital contribution to ongoing conversations surrounding AI, visibility, and the body as a resilient territory.
Li Xiang, known as Gulu, is a Beijing-based artist and writer whose multi-faceted practice encompasses photography, text, handicraft, and painting. A graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, Gulu has been documenting the vibrant subcultures of contemporary Chinese youth since 2008.
His approach is deeply rooted in authentic experiences and collaborative efforts, working intimately with young individuals from China’s bustling cities and online communities. Gulu’s portrayals honour his subjects, presenting them without artifice or limiting stereotypes. Nudity in his work transcends mere spectacle; it embodies trust, emotional honesty, and the quest for freedom, provoking essential inquiries about identity formation within a conformist society.
Projects like Suddenly Receding Desires showcase Gulu’s innovative blend of Polaroid photography and hand-alteration, pushing the boundaries of photography into the realm of painterly expression. His photobooks—Ten Fragrant Soft Tendons, Rainbow Nude, and Take Your Life 3000—alongside his fiction and poetry, paint a vivid tapestry of youth culture, evolving desires, and the quest for self-discovery amid rapid societal transformations.
Through his work, Gulu offers an authentic and nuanced perspective on a generation grappling with intimacy, visibility, and independence. With a vibrant palette of colours and a spirit of quiet defiance, he captures the essence of contemporary Chinese youth, urging us to confront the complexities of our shared human experience.
Migrant Bird Space, a Berlin and Beijing-based art foundation and gallery, serves as a dynamic platform for contemporary Chinese art, promoting cross-cultural dialogue and creating opportunities for artists. Situated at Koppenplatz in the heart of Berlin, the foundation not only supports emerging and established artists but also fosters community engagement through regular talks and connections with museums, universities, and private institutions. Join us for Gulu’s debut exhibition, where art becomes a mirror reflecting the intricacies of our emotional landscape in a rapidly evolving world.
