Chinese Democracy and the Last Day on Earth, which Solmi describes as a satire about the history of “human stupidity, from prehistory to the present day,” offers a vision of the present as constantly threatened by disintegration. This video tells the story of a fictitious 21st-century Chinese leader who is idolized by his subjects, and who aspires to dominate the world. Driven by ruthless ambition and a bloodthirsty appetite, he has brought the entire planet under his control, and rules it with an iron fist. When the United States remains the only obstacle on his way to victory, this tyrant embarks on his final march toward immortal glory. The epic finale of this war is a military invasion of the country that ends with a battle in New York City’s Times Square, leading to the annihilation of the Earth. The childlike style of this work corresponds to Solmi’s vision of a world overtaken by barbarians, which is destined for destruction in the absence of the moral constraints required to sustain civilization. Solmi’s ironic and dystopic tale is the second part of a trilogy whose first part, A Song of Tyranny, centered on the dictator’s ascent to power.

Courtesy of Postmasters Gallery, New York

Less Reading...