About the Artist
Fenghan Gao
My practice explores the relationship between language, power, and subjectivity through interactive and experiential media. I approach language not as a neutral tool of communication, but as a system embedded within social structures that assign value, legitimacy, and hierarchy to different forms of expression. These structures shape how individuals are perceived, how they relate to others, and how they understand themselves. This work takes the form of an interactive game that unfolds in two parts. The first part places players within everyday scenarios where language influences interaction and social response, revealing the often invisible pressures, misunderstandings, and emotional tensions that emerge when one’s language does not align with dominant norms. The second part introduces an alternative space in which these hierarchies are destabilized, allowing players to reconsider assumptions about linguistic value and cultural belonging. The work creates shifting perspectives that highlight the fluidity of social positions. By doing so, it emphasizes that the marginalization of dialects is not inherent, but produced through broader systems of power.
About the Artist
Fenghan Gao
My practice explores the relationship between language, power, and subjectivity through interactive and experiential media. I approach language not as a neutral tool of communication, but as a system embedded within social structures that assign value, legitimacy, and hierarchy to different forms of expression. These structures shape how individuals are perceived, how they relate to others, and how they understand themselves. This work takes the form of an interactive game that unfolds in two parts. The first part places players within everyday scenarios where language influences interaction and social response, revealing the often invisible pressures, misunderstandings, and emotional tensions that emerge when one’s language does not align with dominant norms. The second part introduces an alternative space in which these hierarchies are destabilized, allowing players to reconsider assumptions about linguistic value and cultural belonging. The work creates shifting perspectives that highlight the fluidity of social positions. By doing so, it emphasizes that the marginalization of dialects is not inherent, but produced through broader systems of power.
About the Artist
Fenghan Gao
My practice explores the relationship between language, power, and subjectivity through interactive and experiential media. I approach language not as a neutral tool of communication, but as a system embedded within social structures that assign value, legitimacy, and hierarchy to different forms of expression. These structures shape how individuals are perceived, how they relate to others, and how they understand themselves. This work takes the form of an interactive game that unfolds in two parts. The first part places players within everyday scenarios where language influences interaction and social response, revealing the often invisible pressures, misunderstandings, and emotional tensions that emerge when one’s language does not align with dominant norms. The second part introduces an alternative space in which these hierarchies are destabilized, allowing players to reconsider assumptions about linguistic value and cultural belonging. The work creates shifting perspectives that highlight the fluidity of social positions. By doing so, it emphasizes that the marginalization of dialects is not inherent, but produced through broader systems of power.