Duration of Stay

Duration of Stay traces the life and work of acclaimed artist Guanyu Xu. The film explores Xu’s path to immigration from Beijing to the U.S. Midwest. Now based in Chicago, he depicts the dreams and obstacles of fellow immigrants of color in an ongoing photographic project. Applying a maximalist aesthetic, he documents their temporary U.S. homes, incorporating imagery from their journeys to recreate their domestic spaces while integrating glimpses of joy and strength.

The film follows Xu’s creative process during visits to Iowa and Ohio. Collaborating with others, Xu explores themes of culture, motivation, sexuality, gender, nationality, and immigration status. He gives a talk at a university, advocating for art as a medium to address issues faced by queer immigrants. Xu’s work and the community’s pursuit of tolerance are counter to the xenophobia, racism, and transphobic policies present in the region, but the idea of returning home is complicated for Xu and others.

After an intensive creative process, Xu returns to Chicago and prepares his work for an exhibition in New York, remaining committed to strengthening support for queer immigrant communities.