Rusty River employs a game engine, utilizing the raw and direct visual language characteristic of video games. It recreates a virtual depiction of urban ruins in the aftermath of a riot, forming a striking red river through the city. The term "Rusty" literally refers to the rust on iron weaponry, metaphorically implying that the red in the river originates not only from blood but also from the rusted weapons wielded by the "state machinery." By emphasizing tanks, police equipment, and other iron-based instruments, the work reveals the role of "state machinery" in acts of violence.
Yu intentionally preserves typical game-engine imperfections such as rendering delays, compression artifacts, lag, dropped frames, and visual glitches, highlighting the non-narrative, deliberately low-tech aesthetic. This fragmented narrative—composed of scattered, non-linear visual segments—creates a blurred and distorted visual experience, heightening viewers' perception of chaos and violence.
In addition to the recurring presence of riot police, military forces, and police officers, figures symbolizing the violent executioners of "state machinery", Rusty River incorporates the notorious "Big White Brothers" a symbol deeply associated with China’s Covid-19 pandemic control measures. The government directed medical personnel to enforce physical examinations and vaccinations, and these "Big White Brothers" were predominantly unqualified volunteers temporarily recruited by local authorities. They executed their duties with violence and coercion, treating ordinary citizens as livestock destined for slaughter, devoid of fundamental human rights or respect.
In Rusty River, the "state machinery" of violence is no longer depicted as glorious or heroic. Instead, bloody and chaotic scenes evoke continuous feelings of oppression and absurdity. Amid this brutal chaos, absurd elements such as rabbits and frogs introduce a visual and narrative fracture. This fracture uncovers the coexistence and intertwining of institutional violence with the absurdities of daily life. Particularly noteworthy is the rabbit’s imagery, which in contemporary contexts symbolizes China, as its pronunciation in Chinese closely resembles that of "comrade" (同志), thus embedding a political metaphor within the work.
Through its depiction of confrontations between institutions of power and individual agency, Rusty River critically examines the legitimacy of governmental authority and "state machinery." The explicit portrayal of bloodshed and disorder unflinchingly exposes the brutality and mercilessness inherent in violence.
