Anthropometries - lee wen 李文
Anthropometry Revision
"Anthropometry Revision 2", Digital Lamda Print, Tryptich. 2006, 101.6cm X 101.6cm X 3
(re-visiting
historical performances within contemporary contexts)
I began the work in April 2006. I propose to make a performance re-visiting the historical performance of Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” (1958) with reference to my own contexts as well as within local conditions. I will be in the position of an artist cum model and imprint my yellow stained body to the sound of the “monotone symphony revisited” played with either ethnic Gamelan or Chinese orchestra playing Chinese musical instruments or a laptop orchestra playing on laptop computers. I hope to get 2 to 3 models to help make imprints.
From its Greek roots, “anthropometry” literally means the “measurement of humans”. In anthropology it refers to the measurement of human individuals for the study of human physical variations for comparison and classifications. In the early 19th Century it was linked to Anthropological Criminology, and had various misconceptions, such as wrongly associating criminal characteristics to primitive humans, monkeys and apes. Anomalies and defects in the human form or severe difference in physiological characteristics were also seen as evidence of physical inferiority or psychological disposition of a born criminal. With direct reference to my own body, distorted at birth by scoliosis, they critique the aesthetic of the pose for consumption, within a society with conflicting desires and aversions of a body longed for and yet repudiated.
With historical distance, I also revisit Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” series. Klein himself was interested in reviving forgotten aesthetic philosophical idealism of the past. His enthusiasm to embrace the “flesh” was motivated by a consciousness of oppressive burden borne by the body and his desire to create a new departure towards transcendence. Dressed in suit and tie, with white gloves, his own body remained “untainted” and distant as if avoiding contamination and the abjection of the social and individual body, which his female models were subjected. In contrast Kaprow’s “Happenings” embraced dirt as nature and fertility. Klein’s latent criticism of the failure of institutional avant-garde advent into abstract paintings seems incomplete. The use of women’s bodies as “paint brushes” while remaining himself “clean”, and producing the “framed and pedestal” art objects were evidence of his own misogyny and failure, caught in the prevalent domination of the bourgeoisie mentality.
Despite the contradictions in its aristocratic ironic way, Klein’s work was a complex negotiation in extending Jackson Pollock’s performative “action” legacy, which Kaprow also acknowledged. Its expression makes it impossible to look at paintings in the same way again. This work, “Anthropometry Revision” does not intend to re-enact Klein, hence becoming “farce” in repeating history (sic. Marx). My intention is to continue a committed somatic discourse based on documentary evidences in the archive of art history and to interrogate a past performance work relevant to my own surveys and position.
I began the work in April 2006. I propose to make a performance re-visiting the historical performance of Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” (1958) with reference to my own contexts as well as within local conditions. I will be in the position of an artist cum model and imprint my yellow stained body to the sound of the “monotone symphony revisited” played with either ethnic Gamelan or Chinese orchestra playing Chinese musical instruments or a laptop orchestra playing on laptop computers. I hope to get 2 to 3 models to help make imprints.
From its Greek roots, “anthropometry” literally means the “measurement of humans”. In anthropology it refers to the measurement of human individuals for the study of human physical variations for comparison and classifications. In the early 19th Century it was linked to Anthropological Criminology, and had various misconceptions, such as wrongly associating criminal characteristics to primitive humans, monkeys and apes. Anomalies and defects in the human form or severe difference in physiological characteristics were also seen as evidence of physical inferiority or psychological disposition of a born criminal. With direct reference to my own body, distorted at birth by scoliosis, they critique the aesthetic of the pose for consumption, within a society with conflicting desires and aversions of a body longed for and yet repudiated.
With historical distance, I also revisit Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” series. Klein himself was interested in reviving forgotten aesthetic philosophical idealism of the past. His enthusiasm to embrace the “flesh” was motivated by a consciousness of oppressive burden borne by the body and his desire to create a new departure towards transcendence. Dressed in suit and tie, with white gloves, his own body remained “untainted” and distant as if avoiding contamination and the abjection of the social and individual body, which his female models were subjected. In contrast Kaprow’s “Happenings” embraced dirt as nature and fertility. Klein’s latent criticism of the failure of institutional avant-garde advent into abstract paintings seems incomplete. The use of women’s bodies as “paint brushes” while remaining himself “clean”, and producing the “framed and pedestal” art objects were evidence of his own misogyny and failure, caught in the prevalent domination of the bourgeoisie mentality.
Despite the contradictions in its aristocratic ironic way, Klein’s work was a complex negotiation in extending Jackson Pollock’s performative “action” legacy, which Kaprow also acknowledged. Its expression makes it impossible to look at paintings in the same way again. This work, “Anthropometry Revision” does not intend to re-enact Klein, hence becoming “farce” in repeating history (sic. Marx). My intention is to continue a committed somatic discourse based on documentary evidences in the archive of art history and to interrogate a past performance work relevant to my own surveys and position.
Anthropometry Revision:Yellow period (after Yves Klein)
- Lee Wen with Jiang Jing, He Liping
13 April 2008, 3pm, Red & Grey Art Contemporary, Cheng Du, China
I propose to make a performance re-visiting the historical performance of Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” (1960) with reference to my own contexts as well as within local conditions. In 1958 Yves Klein began a new series of body paintings. He conducted some models in using the female body to make body prints and paintings on paper. In March 9 1969, Anthropometries of the Blue Period was performed at the International
Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Paris. While the “Monotone Symphony” was being performed, with a nine-piece orchestra playing one single note. Yves Klein had three nude models cover themselves in blue paint and affix their body prints on the white papers, laid out on the gallery walls and floor. In using the models as if paint brushes, Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist. The invited audience, made up of numerous artists, collectors, and critics, was subsequently invited to take part in a general discussion. Based on these explorations by Yves Klein, I propose to do “Anthropometry Revision: Yellow period” series where I will re-open discussions of Klein’s work in contemporary situation such as:-
- why should the bodies be that of women models only?
- Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist, however performing it myself together with other artists we not only use our hand, but also our own bodies.
- can this be done in an Asian context?
- Yves Klein doing this work in Europe had various implications which may not have been consciously addressed. Other questions are approached if I propose to use Asian bodies and a music orchestra, which is non-western.
- The position of painting today in contemporary art practice with reference to Yves Klein and performance art.
Actions:
1) To experiment painting with my body together with other performance artists or models.
2) To engage a Traditional Chinese orchestra to play a “Pentatone Symphony”. Western music is based on the seven notes heptatonic scale. In contrast Chinese traditional music uses five notes pentatonic scale. Klein had an orchestra playing only one tone. I propose to have five Chinese traditional musical instruments each playing one pitch of the five notes of the pentatonic scale.
3) perform Anthropometry Revision:Yellow period (after Yves Klein) I would like to invite other performance artists to join me in making the imprints
with yellow paint on canvas with their bodies. While the “Pentatone Symphony” is performed, with a five-piece orchestra playing one single note each instrument of the pentatonic scale. After the performance we can have an open discussion.
Lee Wen
April 7, 2008
13 April 2008, 3pm, Red & Grey Art Contemporary, Cheng Du, China
I propose to make a performance re-visiting the historical performance of Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” (1960) with reference to my own contexts as well as within local conditions. In 1958 Yves Klein began a new series of body paintings. He conducted some models in using the female body to make body prints and paintings on paper. In March 9 1969, Anthropometries of the Blue Period was performed at the International
Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Paris. While the “Monotone Symphony” was being performed, with a nine-piece orchestra playing one single note. Yves Klein had three nude models cover themselves in blue paint and affix their body prints on the white papers, laid out on the gallery walls and floor. In using the models as if paint brushes, Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist. The invited audience, made up of numerous artists, collectors, and critics, was subsequently invited to take part in a general discussion. Based on these explorations by Yves Klein, I propose to do “Anthropometry Revision: Yellow period” series where I will re-open discussions of Klein’s work in contemporary situation such as:-
- why should the bodies be that of women models only?
- Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist, however performing it myself together with other artists we not only use our hand, but also our own bodies.
- can this be done in an Asian context?
- Yves Klein doing this work in Europe had various implications which may not have been consciously addressed. Other questions are approached if I propose to use Asian bodies and a music orchestra, which is non-western.
- The position of painting today in contemporary art practice with reference to Yves Klein and performance art.
Actions:
1) To experiment painting with my body together with other performance artists or models.
2) To engage a Traditional Chinese orchestra to play a “Pentatone Symphony”. Western music is based on the seven notes heptatonic scale. In contrast Chinese traditional music uses five notes pentatonic scale. Klein had an orchestra playing only one tone. I propose to have five Chinese traditional musical instruments each playing one pitch of the five notes of the pentatonic scale.
3) perform Anthropometry Revision:Yellow period (after Yves Klein) I would like to invite other performance artists to join me in making the imprints
with yellow paint on canvas with their bodies. While the “Pentatone Symphony” is performed, with a five-piece orchestra playing one single note each instrument of the pentatonic scale. After the performance we can have an open discussion.
Lee Wen
April 7, 2008
Anthropometry Revision:Yellow period (after Yves Klein) #2.
by Lee Wen with Lynn Lu, Arai Shinichi, Music: Kai Lam and Jeremy Hiah
Performance: 10pm till late, 10 September 2008
10 Ubi Crescent #04-93 & 94 Lobby E, Ubi Techpark, Singapore 408561
Meeting time and place for the shuttle transportation: 9pm, SooBin Art Int'l
140 Hill Street #01-10/11/12 MICA Building
Exhibition of installation continues from 11 to 17 September, 11am to 6pm
Anthropometry Revision:Yellow period (after Yves Klein) #2
On 13 April 2008, Chengdu, China, I collaborated with Jiang Jing, He Liping in a performance re-visiting the historical performance of Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries”(1958 & 1960) with reference to my own contexts as well as within local conditions. On 10 September 2008 I will collaborate with Arai Shinichi, Lynn Lu with music by Kai Lam and Jeremy Hiah to re-visit Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” highlighting different aspects and circumstances. Klein conducted some models in using the female body as ‘living brushes’ to make body prints and paintings on paper. While the “Monotone Symphony” was being performed, with a nine-piece orchestra playing one single note. Yves Klein had three nude models cover themselves in blue paint and affix their body prints on the white papers, laid out on the gallery walls and floor. In using the models as if paint brushes, Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist.
Based on these explorations by Yves Klein, I have re-opened discussions of Klein’s work in contemporary situation such as:-
- why should the bodies be that of women models only?
- Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist, however performing it myself together with other artists we not only use our hand, but also our own bodies.
- can this be done in an Asian context?
- Yves Klein doing this work in Europe had various implications which may not have been consciously addressed. Other questions are approached if I propose to use Asian bodies and a music orchestra, which is non-western.
- The position of painting today in contemporary art practice with reference to Yves Klein and performance art.
catalogue * : http://www.scribd.com/doc/46874893/Anthropometry-Revision-Lee-Wen
PDF download
Performance: 10pm till late, 10 September 2008
10 Ubi Crescent #04-93 & 94 Lobby E, Ubi Techpark, Singapore 408561
Meeting time and place for the shuttle transportation: 9pm, SooBin Art Int'l
140 Hill Street #01-10/11/12 MICA Building
Exhibition of installation continues from 11 to 17 September, 11am to 6pm
Anthropometry Revision:Yellow period (after Yves Klein) #2
On 13 April 2008, Chengdu, China, I collaborated with Jiang Jing, He Liping in a performance re-visiting the historical performance of Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries”(1958 & 1960) with reference to my own contexts as well as within local conditions. On 10 September 2008 I will collaborate with Arai Shinichi, Lynn Lu with music by Kai Lam and Jeremy Hiah to re-visit Yves Klein’s “Anthropometries” highlighting different aspects and circumstances. Klein conducted some models in using the female body as ‘living brushes’ to make body prints and paintings on paper. While the “Monotone Symphony” was being performed, with a nine-piece orchestra playing one single note. Yves Klein had three nude models cover themselves in blue paint and affix their body prints on the white papers, laid out on the gallery walls and floor. In using the models as if paint brushes, Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist.
Based on these explorations by Yves Klein, I have re-opened discussions of Klein’s work in contemporary situation such as:-
- why should the bodies be that of women models only?
- Klein’s motivations were based on that of “removing the hand” of the artist, however performing it myself together with other artists we not only use our hand, but also our own bodies.
- can this be done in an Asian context?
- Yves Klein doing this work in Europe had various implications which may not have been consciously addressed. Other questions are approached if I propose to use Asian bodies and a music orchestra, which is non-western.
- The position of painting today in contemporary art practice with reference to Yves Klein and performance art.
catalogue * : http://www.scribd.com/doc/46874893/Anthropometry-Revision-Lee-Wen
PDF download