Artist Zhang Xiao creates deities tailored to our 21st-century desires, reflecting social media trends, photography, and more. Some have been exhibited.
In Chinese culture, gods often have specialized roles—much like deities in other traditions. Just as we’d visit a specific doctor for a particular ailment, people in Hong Kong might pray to the God of Literature, residing at Man Mo Temple, for academic success or a work promotion. If it’s financial luck you’re after, you’d seek the favour of Kwun Yum, or Guanyin, known for her generosity. For health, Hau Wong and Che Kung are popular choices.
But in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world, where do we turn for help with our modern needs? Who do we ask for assistance with a Botox procedure or when troubleshooting a bug in our code? And for delivery drivers or gig workers navigating the streets, does Mazu—the sea goddess who has long guided fishermen—still offer guidance, or is it time for new protectors? If modern problems require modern solutions, why not new gods? Neil Gaiman explores this very idea in *American Gods*, where deities emerge from contemporary obsessions.
Chinese artist Zhang Xiao is bringing this concept to life with a twist. His latest exhibition, *Extraordinary Things*, introduces 50 newly crafted gods, each reflecting the desires and challenges of our times. On display at the Guangdong Times Museum in southern China, the show includes effigies, balloon mascots, and vibrant illustrations, each accompanied by a backstory.
Zhang’s insight into people’s needs comes from years of experience. He started as a photojournalist in Chongqing, a bustling Chinese city of 32 million. In 2009, he left his job to pursue photography full-time, capturing the lives of those living in rural, often neglected, regions of China. Through his lens, he documented the impact of rapid urbanization and the resulting struggles of the people left behind. Over time, Zhang became particularly intrigued by indigenous religions and folklore.
In 2017, a story caught his eye. In Ningbo, a small temple raised donations by offering to create effigies based on the donor’s requests. The gods that emerged reflected the community’s needs—everything from a Buddha of English to a deity for import-export traders and even a protector for driving tests. Zhang recalls speaking to the temple abbot, who explained that traditional gods didn’t always resonate with people’s modern lives, so they began inventing deities that aligned with their current needs.
Inspired, Zhang began creating statues of new gods, drawing from trends on social media, input from friends, and feedback from his audience. His statues are intentionally exaggerated, with bold colours and humour, yet they maintain the folk-art aesthetic of rural China.
For his Guangzhou exhibition, Zhang didn’t stop at traditional statues. He introduced oversized balloon figures, modelled after shopping mall mascots, designed to attract visitors in the same way commercial entities lure consumers. Looking ahead to a future show in Xian, he plans to sell collectible versions of these gods in blind boxes, feeding into a growing trend in Chinese consumer culture.
For Zhang, these playful new gods offer more than just entertainment—they serve as a satirical reflection on China’s consumer-driven society. Even so, some visitors have taken his creations seriously. At his Guangzhou exhibit, offerings were made to the Buddha of Photography, and during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, people prayed to his gods, with the Buddha of Visas being particularly popular as travellers sought divine help to navigate pandemic restrictions.
Zhang’s work raises a question: as we move further into an era defined by commerce, technology, and rapid change, will we continue to adapt our spiritual needs to match? His answer seems to suggest we already are.
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