The word “杀马特 (Sha Ma Te)” is derived from the English word “smart”. At the beginning of the 21st century, young people were popular on the Internet because of their unique looks. Nowadays, the era of Smart is over, but there are still a group of Smart youths in a small town in the south, who use strange looks to fight against the mainstream aesthetics and find their own self-worth. I focus on them, photograph their faces and environment, and try to restore the amusement park of these youths with images.

Published in 2023
14.5 x 18.5 cm
82 pages

Showcased as part of Jimei x Arles: Travelling Photobook Showcase at the 9th SIPF Photobook Showcase

Artist Biography:

Rong Xiao, born in 1999 in Foshan, Guangdong, is a graduate student of Radio and Television Art at the Communication University of China (CUC), and an undergraduate of Film and Television Photography and Production (Photo Photography Direction) at the CUC. She has produced her own photography books “Colourful Hair Youth”, “A Butterfly Falling” and “Green Stream River”, and her works have been exhibited in the 2020 Pingyao International Photography Festival, the 2023 Beijing Excellence Youth Art Festival, and the 2023 “They They They” film exhibition at the Fujian Guihu Art Museum.