The plot of Yang Fudong's first film describes the weakness of the human condition, man's inability to understand the meaning of reality and to relate to it, identifying with a profound existential melancholy, an inevitable negative consequence of life in China today. The artist's subsequent works in film, photography, and video, delve into these sorts of themes, placing at the center of his artistic investigation the complex relationship between the new generation of Chinese intellectuals and the profound changes of a political, economic, and social nature that are taking place in his country. This catalog offers an in-depth look at two recent video installations, The Revival of the Snake and Jiaer's Livestock, which are among the artist's most complex installations to date.