Zheng Li keeps an immaculate studio; downstairs his paintings are wrapped in plastic and propped against the wall and the upper floor houses a collection of empty frames stacked according to size. The studio furniture is sparse and at a quick glance, I remember little else about the space.
Today Jessica undertook her third studio day in Zheng Li’s studio. Since my first visit to observe Jessica working in Wang Jun’s studio – when I felt all too conscious of my presence in the space – I’ve been thinking of a way to witness some of what happens without feeling like I’m intruding. I’m not sure I got it quite right today either. After making my arrival known, I had a quick scan about and disappeared into a dark corner.
Last time, I caught Jessica at an active point whilst she was moving objects around in the space, today she was at a different point, walking around the studio engaged in a process of looking and thinking and perhaps touching objects. From my dark corner it felt most natural to close my eyes and concentrate on what I could hear.
This is what I could hear:
Firstly quick footsteps upstairs, then footsteps downstairs followed by a pause in activity. Then footsteps upstairs again and another pause longer this time. Footsteps across the upper floor that stopped directly above me for a long while, during which time I visualised Jessica peering down through a crack in the floorboards and wondering what the hell I was doing. Footsteps back and forth across the upper floor interspersed with pauses, then something being rustled and then shuffled towards the stairs.
Since we’ve been in Chongqing Jessica and I have become very aware of all the wonderful and not so wonderful sounds we hear on a daily basis. Huang Jue Ping is noisy 24/7. Sounds from industry, construction and heavy goods vehicles form a backdrop to the constant sound of life in a heavily populated area. It’s a mix specific to Huang Jue Ping and I hope to remember it well, which is one of the reasons I’ve been recording a lot of video footage – in order to document the sound.
The time I’ve spent observing Jessica in the studio has been tense, focused and quiet. The objects I’ve witnessed in their state of balance need that quiet energy; sometimes I hold my breath when I go near them.
Nina Chua
24th November
