Madame (姑奶奶), Qiu Jiongjiong, 2010

Qiu Jiongjiongs stark blackandwhite series of interviews with transsexual cabaret singer Madame Bi Langda. Madame Bis recollections of past experiences explicitly touch on how she performs her way through life, whether interacting with friends, lovers, or her audience. More than a document of the increasingly complicated gender identity politics in China, its also a poignant testimony of a life dedicated to articulating the aesthetics of living.