n his one-man show entitled “The Nightmare”, Li Zhanyang draws inspiration from the school experiences of his daughter and countless other Chinese children, metaphorically transposing it into the two large scale installations featured in the exhibition. In one of the works, the scene comes into sight like a disquieting oneiric vision suspended in darkness, stillness and complete silence. In the middle of the space, the life-size fiberglass sculpture of a schoolgirl is portrayed looking up at a mass of schoolbags and sharp metal blades that loom threateningly from above. When seen from afar, her head is the only visible part of her body, emerging from the middle of a well made of three tons of examination sheets. The impossibility for the girl to escape from a prolonged condition of imprisonment and impending danger conveys a growing feeling of helpless distress.