Li Zhanyang

At Galerie Urs Meile, the artist re-imagines the famous 1965 sculpture "Rent Collection Yard" and depicts Chinese contemporary art stars

The show "Rent" features 114 sculptures, inspired by a 1965 work by several artists from the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts. The original sculpture – entitled "Rent Collection Yard" and presented just a year before the Cultural Revolution – served up a powerful and compelling narrative of class struggle.

Li Zhanyang’s version suggests the original story of class struggle but the big difference here is that most of the characters in the story are played by famous members of the Chinese contemporary art world. Li here is sucking ass but, to his credit, he puts on an extraordinary performance. Sucking and criticizing are always a profitable combination.

In one group, Ai Weiwei plays the evil landlord, having his feet washed by gallerist Tang Xin. Ai Weiwei’s wife, Lu Qing, fans him while gallerist Lin Suling does his nails and collector Livia Gnos sucks his forefinger. Meanwhile, Gallerist Urs Meile looks on with two pistols shoved down his pants. Elsewhere, National Art Museum of China director Fan Di’an, as a revolutionary guard, sequesters sculptor Sui Jianguo in a campy little series called "Raping." Other famous appearances come from Uli Sigg, Li Xianting and Gao Minglu.

If you like Baroque (this artist clearly does) or if you ever doubted whether Chinese art is totally up itself, then this is the work you should see. "Rent" looks like a soap opera and smells like a pig pen. Li Zhanyang proves himself with this piece and gains entry into the growing pantheon of freaks and fools that comprise the Chinese contemporary art world at the height of its narcissism and money-lust. We should congratulate him on the accuracy of his depictions, and weep.

Galerie Urs Meile
Through August 24. Caochangdi N104, Chaoyang district (6433 3393; www.galerieursmeile.com ). Open 11am-6.30pm Tue-Sun.

Stacey Duff