Exploring the body and imagination in Erica Zhan’s “Teeth Gymnastics”
Erica Zhan‘s “Teeth Gymnastics” is a symphony of intertextual films that explore the intricate relationship between physical discipline, aesthetics, and self-perception. This two-part project examines the performative nature of bodily training, using the movements of facial yoga and the cultural backdrop of childhood exercise to unravel themes of personal identity, societal expectations, and the fragility of imagination.
The first part of “Teeth Gymnastics” features Erica Zhan simulating popular facial yoga tutorials, transforming them into an expressive choreography. Set against the backdrop of Chinese elementary and middle school students’ radio calisthenics, the performance is both an earnest and exaggerated exercise in controlling the muscles of the face.
Through deliberate and vigorous movements of the tongue, teeth, and lips, the artist grapples with the pursuit of an idealized appearance and the notion of bodily empowerment. The performative element highlights the tension between personal aspirations and the external structures that dictate aesthetic and physical norms.
The second part of the project weaves together found footage from the internet, guided by Zhan’s third-person narration. This segment reflects on their adolescent experience with dental health—a realm of both fantasy and discomfort.
Growing up in the interior of Asia, Zhan confronted the concept of physical and mental resilience as an elusive ideal. Training, in this context, became a metaphorical and psychological exercise, offering a pathway into social conformity while also shaping a deeply personal narrative of ambition and vulnerability.
The symbolic power of teeth—at once poetic, competitive, and sentimental—serves as a lens through which the artist examines internalized pressures and bodily perception. The imagined transformation of one’s teeth embodies a broader struggle between self-determination and external influence, ultimately exposing the limits of control over both the body and its social representation.
Erica Zhan, an interdisciplinary artist and writer from southeastern China, is currently based in Chicago. Their work spans performance, moving image, installation, and writing, often interrogating the intersections of games, sports, and playfulness within consumer culture.
A graduate of the MA program in Visual and Critical Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Zhan has exhibited and performed at esteemed venues such as the International Museum of Surgical Science, the Gene Siskel Film Center, and Woman Made Gallery, where they recently won first prize in the 7th Midwest Open.
Beyond their visual art practice, Erica Zhan contributes poetry, fiction, and art criticism, with writings featured in The Art Journal and other platforms. Their work continues to challenge conventional narratives, offering a nuanced exploration of the body, imagination, and cultural conditioning.
