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ISSUE63

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52 Issue 63 / 2014 TRAVEL guestlist.net Halstatt, China is a photographic project that researches the phe- nomenon of 'Copy Towns', iconic European towns and buildings that have been replicated in different places around China. Acker and Thompson's particular focus is towards the small town of Hal- statt in the Guangdong Province. This strikingly surreal interpreta- tion of an Austrian village houses an artificial lake, imported doves and even an atmospheric soundtrack to add to the 'authenticity'. This mind boggling cultural crossover is certainly impressive, but undeniably spooky. The project covers a number of bizarre lo- cations including 'Thames Town', a small replica village outside Shanghai that exactly mirrors the streets of West London, along with photographs from a number of ghost towns and abandoned Chinese theme parks. What is essentially a method for the Chinese upper classes to experience a taste of iconic Europe clearly rep- resents a metaphor for the ever-increasing translation of western influence into Chinese culture. Acker and Thompson spent a large part of 2013 documenting the location's original counterparts across Europe and are producing works from their experiences into a short film and book. DISCOVERING CHINA'S 'COPY TOWNS' Artists Sebastian Acker and Phil Thompson embark on a journey to explore the hidden mystery of China's replicated western architecture.

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