Imagine picking up a pristinely-sealed can of Coca-Cola, only to be shocked upon realizing it’s empty. That is the experience Xu Zhen wants shoppers to have in his parody of a supermarket at ShanghART Singapore.

The exhibition ShanghART Supermarket is the first of its kind in South East Asia. Produced by the Shanghai-based artist and his contemporary art creation team, MadeIn Company, the installation challenges the notions of globalization and consumption.

Xu Zhen reconstructs a typical Chinese convenience store, stocks the “supermarket” with empty products, and invites visitors to buy them or question their true value, since each item is a visual shell stripped of its defining qualities. Upon checkout, buyers are printed a receipt for the transaction made, further imploring visitors to question what in essence they’re really buying. This meticulous installation made its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2007. By the end of the fair, the once fully-stocked shelves were almost depleted.

Although Xu Zhen was not able to make it for the debut of his Supermarket in Singapore, Blouin ARTINFO met with Dr. Xue Liqing, director of ShanghART Singapore, to learn more about Xu Zhen and this interactive sculpture.

The exhibition at ShanghART Singapore, 9 Lock Road, #02-22 Gillman Barracks Singapore, is on view (or purchase) from now through May 18.