Sands of time

The ongoing Yinchuan Biennale studies a diverse and complex world through the works of artists from China and abroad, Li Qi reports.

The nomadic life, among human society's oldest ways of subsistence, is increasingly rare in modern times. People travel wider and more frequently in the globalized era, and technology has enabled people to get information about what's happening far away even without having to leave home.

But human activity, in the real and virtual worlds, has led to ecological deterioration, confusion around cultural identities and clashes between immigrants and natives, among other issues.