Artstation gallery of the artist with more images from the series

NYT : Nooooo stop sharing based communist sci fi concept art on your authoritarian social media

In one Beijing artist’s recent depiction of the world in 2098, China is a high-tech superpower and the United States is humbled. Americans have embraced communism and Manhattan, draped with the hammer-and-sickle flags of the “People’s Union of America,” has become a quaint tourist precinct.

This triumphant vision has resonated among Chinese.

The sci-fi digital illustrations by the artist, Fan Wennan, caught fire on Chinese social media in recent months, reflecting a resurgent nationalism. China’s authoritarian system, proponents say, is not just different from the West’s democracies, it is also proving itself superior. It is a long-running theme, but China’s success against the pandemic has given it a sharp boost.

:wojak-nooo: :wojak-nooo: :wojak-nooo:

“America isn’t that heavenly kingdom depicted since decades ago,” said Mr. Fan, who is in his early twenties. “There’s nothing special about it. If you have to say there’s anything special about it now, it’s how messed up it can be at times.”

Fan Wennan: No

posts megastructure draped in red banners

The artist also got some sort of movie deal

63 points
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China’s Combative Nationalists

imagine, as a fucking American, referring to the people of literally any other country as “combative nationalists”

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51 points
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Deleted by creator
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patriots*

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26 points

Nationalism is when you paint a picture of a bright future for your nation’s greatest enemy.

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42 points
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I want to live long enough to see the NYSE turned into a Leek museum.

Edit: upon further reflection, if this bloated corpse is allowed to shamble on for another 45 years there won’t be a planet left for anyone.

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You’ve got it the wrong way around- the planet’s going to be here, just with no one left on it

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39 points
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22 points

Just from a vexillogical standpoint though, I hate both the current US flag and the one depicted here. Ugly af.

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10 points

I’ve always liked this “Solidarity Star” flag taken from here

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What makes it ugly to you? I kinda like it. Or what makes a flag ugly in general.

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9 points
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I’d say out of a symbological view it doesnt really make any sense to maintain the 13 colonial stripes but remove the 50 stars unless you’re absolutely desperate to have both the old flag and some new communist symbol.

I mean I guess you could make an argument for the American revolution but that’d be patsucc shit, the hypocrisy and self interest of the American revolution is widely known and would hopefully be widely taught in any socialist America, meanwhile the 50 stars at least represent current political reality(assuming all 50 states remain as is and dont do any shenanigans of splitting, uniting, being ceded/returned etc).

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7 points

Visual clutter first and foremost. The US flag is nothing but clutter, none of which sparks joy.

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34 points

Serious “I told you it was inevitable, comrade!” energy

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Revolutionairy Optimism

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33 points

2068

please, before i die

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