The Fabricated 'Beloved': Dream-Girl Intimacy Architecture

Source of inspiration:
This work draws inspiration from the emergence of the "Mengnü" (dream girl) phenomenon among contemporary young women exploring intimacy, For Mengnü, fantasy and control within relationships are never passive indulgences, but rather a meticulously orchestrated self-dialogue. The two components of the installation - "Immersion" and "Control" - capture the subtle tension inherent in the Mengnü dynamic: she is simultaneously the weaver and the experiencer of the dream, the director of emotions and their sole audience.
Concept Statement:
This installation comprises two parts, symbolizing the fundamental postures of "Immersion" and "Control" within Mengnü intimacy.
. "Immersion'" Component: A staggered four-unit frame holds four double-layered acrylic fish tanks containing goldfish, exterally wrapped with multicolored luminous fiber. The tanks’ enclosed yet transparent nature metaphorizes the dual tension of being watched and self-display in contemporary intimacy. The double-layered structure signifies the overlap of reality and fantasy within relationships, while the luminous fiber symbolizes the flow of emotion and desire projection. The goldfish embody the "self" or "other" within the Mengnü fantasy, navigating the enclosed environment as if immersed in this self-constructed emotional reverie-an active form of self-projection.
. "Control" Component: An "interaction-response" system is constructed from stress balls, a sensor-linked LED sign, and a symbolic plush toy, simulating the Mengnü's manipulation and imagination of intimacy. Twenty stress balls, pressed and reshaped by different participants, symbolize the ongoing calibration and rehearsal of the female role within the emotional dynamic, establishing connections through "performance." The plush toy serves as the physical vessel for the fictional lover; touch or pressure triggers the LED sign to display the responsive phrase "I love you," forming a closed-loop "input-feedback" mechanism.
Overall lntent: Through the staggered structure, the malleable stress balls, and the triggered response, the installation systematically reveals the complex balance between immersion, self-protection, desire fo rcontrol, and emotional fulfillment within the Mengnü's intimate framework. Ultimately, it seeks to present not a woman passively awaiting affection, but an active editor wielding fantasy as a tool and desire as ascript. Here, the dream is not an escape from reality, but a precisely controlled emotional experiment.