XL cotton t-shirt. Please note these t-shirts are an off white.

Upon discovering a bottle of “Chamele No. 5” in a discount store in Sydney Rainbow Chan became awash with nostalgia. Intrigued by the inherent creativity and humour in the object’s production, Chan wanted to make an artwork about the aesthetic values and socio-political meanings of the fake. On top of the artistic component, this project also breaks down global economic structures which have fostered the counterfeiting phenomenon in China, locally known as “Shanzhai.”

Rainbow Chan’s practice explores running themes of identity, mistranslations, diaspora and the effects of globalisation on modern Chinese society. Her interest in counterfeits began with her personal experiences of owning knock-offs at a young age. She spent her childhood in Hong Kong where knock-off goods and pirated software were ubiquitous.