Research & Reflection
I have been reading exhibition catalogues and books on Chinese contemporary performance artists who participated in live art events Vital and China Live. I actually saw the China Live event at the Baltic in Newcastle upon Tyne, and always remember the image of Shu Yang under a Chinese flag with a big knife stabbing in a downward motion. During the performance I stayed at the back of the audience feeling scared he might stab me as he moved around the space. I remember He Chengyao performance moving frantically in a dark room trying to catch a light reflection on a wall that was being controlled by the audience.
My interest in Chinese live art has come out of a bit of a frustration with other performance work I have seen. I just feel that a lot of performance is very theatrical in it’s presentation and so creates a separation between the audience and the artist. I am interested in squeezing this gap, which is why I like to make work in public spaces and in social/professional situations. Working in this way brings the artist back down to an everyday level, which I feel offers a more natural way for the audience to engage with the experience. Chinese performance art has a modern history and is very political and bold, which encourages me to take risks in my work.
Although I have the opportunity to exhibit at the 501 Artspace in March I am curious to see how my work will translate into a gallery context. There are no guarantees that the documentation of my work will be good enough to use, if so what else can I show? I could do a live performance, however what is left in the gallery space when I leave? Reflecting on these questions are important to consider for positive outcomes in the presentation and documentation of the work. I have loaned a Chinese medicine book from the Chinese Library in Manchester and have been scanning images from it. I really like this illustration of a figure standing on a persons legs, it looks strange even though this action is supposed to be good for you.
