Strange Fruit - lee wen 李文
strange fruit
Q & A
Q: So how long have your “yellow man” series been going on and how long do you intend it to go on?
A: The first time was in London in 1992. I think about the comments I get. Some say it’s an iconoclastic idea that has attained an iconic position in some ways so I should stop. And yet others feel its something I should keep on doing. I find that the urge to make something comes out of a dialectical dialogue like a short circuit. So as long as this series of “Journey of a yellow man” is not the only thing that I am “hung up” with, and I get short circuits in other directions as well then I think its OK. In the past we talk about inspiration. However these days we are dealing with a world that is changing in extreme directions, which is both intimidating if not mind-boggling. You have twenty thousand theories trying to figure things out and it all seems right and wrong at the same time. Out of all this we are all “fuzzy logicians” in some ways. At each point I have various possibilities and I choose what to do depending on what is possible with the given conditions.
Q: Its been 10 years now since you first presented it here at the Substation in Singapore, how would you describe this “journey” over the years in relation to what makes you feel that there is more to do?
A: What is significant is that I started the work in England after living there for 2 years. I did the second one in India en route back to Singapore. And the first time I did it here in 1993 was already the third installment. The series continued in different situations in various countries but in between I have other projects too, which bounces off each other. This says something not only about my individual practice but also how the world is these days. In terms of cultural engagement and production and the relationship to political and social identity its happening to us in these times in a way which is totally different in the past. The “yellow man” has its historical references. For example going back to Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), the father of taxonomy is credited for the way we name, rank and classify living organisms. It was there that we could trace how Asians were first stereotyped as “yellow”. The kind of stereotyping may have changed but it’s still very evident and strong. But the work I do also has references to my personal history as well as social background. For example being an ethnic Chinese born in colonial Singapore and then growing up in the post-colonial republic. Trying to make sense of one’s identity in a multi-cultural society upbeat in economic development and national identity building. And then there is the global cultural dimension. “Outside” forces, which contribute to our perceptions either by way of imports like Hollywood and the Internet or one’s own travels to the other places of differing cultures and history. I must admit to some kind of naivete when I first presented “yellow man” in 1993 in Singapore. After working with the Artists Village and then the experience of London, I felt it was the right time to open up new doors. But then we took some sharp turns with the “banning” of performance art in 1994. It made me more concerned and questioning about censorship and cultural policies. It was a very emotionally turbulent and traumatic experience that I am not quite sure we have recovered from. In 1996 I did a solo presentation at the Black Box with TheatreWorks which included my “Neo-Baba” and “Ghosts Stories” series. In 1997, I did the “yellow man” as a participant in the Substation’s SeptFest Art Conference. And then now I am presenting it this way, via photography, video and installation and no live performance. My work is and always has been art as a visual way of thinking and questioning. When I present the work at home in Singapore I have more specific issues at hand whereas outside of Singapore I risk making generalizations.
Q: You don’t sound very happy. In fact many have found cynicism in your work.
A: Yes I feel a little dejected with how things have developed. In the beginning there was so much hope for something really extraordinary. And there was a kind of belief that as an artist one is able to contribute something radically critical and visually interesting at the same time and be appreciated for it. But I try to be happy although I’m not. In fact I think my work always had a humorous edge. That’s why I have come to this “strange fruit”. It’s kind of sad and funny at the same time. Some things never change and yet there are lots of changes to deal with and in the midst of it we are growing with it into something new, and perhaps in my unhappy state of mind I try to see it as wondrous and “strange”. We try to be optimistic and look at things positively and say that restrictions can also lead to more creativity however I think it also limits and constrains us. Its like being forced to walk a straight and narrow path when you know that what you see in front of you is wild and open ground. But still art making is a way to free us by working things out of this contradictory relationship.
Q: How does art frees you when you are working under restrictive conditions?
A: It’s the way that art reconciles contradictions in its manifestation that is also liberating. Somehow it’s more of a spiritual than material thing. Although we manifest it through physical objects and that is why for me performance art is closest to it although we still have our physical body and a physical place to deal with. It’s not necessary to have an end physical product. I think that is one of the thing, which a capitalistic, consumer-based, materialistic society fears most about performance art. More than it’s other inherent dangers.
Q: What are the other dangers?
A: Good question.
A: The first time was in London in 1992. I think about the comments I get. Some say it’s an iconoclastic idea that has attained an iconic position in some ways so I should stop. And yet others feel its something I should keep on doing. I find that the urge to make something comes out of a dialectical dialogue like a short circuit. So as long as this series of “Journey of a yellow man” is not the only thing that I am “hung up” with, and I get short circuits in other directions as well then I think its OK. In the past we talk about inspiration. However these days we are dealing with a world that is changing in extreme directions, which is both intimidating if not mind-boggling. You have twenty thousand theories trying to figure things out and it all seems right and wrong at the same time. Out of all this we are all “fuzzy logicians” in some ways. At each point I have various possibilities and I choose what to do depending on what is possible with the given conditions.
Q: Its been 10 years now since you first presented it here at the Substation in Singapore, how would you describe this “journey” over the years in relation to what makes you feel that there is more to do?
A: What is significant is that I started the work in England after living there for 2 years. I did the second one in India en route back to Singapore. And the first time I did it here in 1993 was already the third installment. The series continued in different situations in various countries but in between I have other projects too, which bounces off each other. This says something not only about my individual practice but also how the world is these days. In terms of cultural engagement and production and the relationship to political and social identity its happening to us in these times in a way which is totally different in the past. The “yellow man” has its historical references. For example going back to Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), the father of taxonomy is credited for the way we name, rank and classify living organisms. It was there that we could trace how Asians were first stereotyped as “yellow”. The kind of stereotyping may have changed but it’s still very evident and strong. But the work I do also has references to my personal history as well as social background. For example being an ethnic Chinese born in colonial Singapore and then growing up in the post-colonial republic. Trying to make sense of one’s identity in a multi-cultural society upbeat in economic development and national identity building. And then there is the global cultural dimension. “Outside” forces, which contribute to our perceptions either by way of imports like Hollywood and the Internet or one’s own travels to the other places of differing cultures and history. I must admit to some kind of naivete when I first presented “yellow man” in 1993 in Singapore. After working with the Artists Village and then the experience of London, I felt it was the right time to open up new doors. But then we took some sharp turns with the “banning” of performance art in 1994. It made me more concerned and questioning about censorship and cultural policies. It was a very emotionally turbulent and traumatic experience that I am not quite sure we have recovered from. In 1996 I did a solo presentation at the Black Box with TheatreWorks which included my “Neo-Baba” and “Ghosts Stories” series. In 1997, I did the “yellow man” as a participant in the Substation’s SeptFest Art Conference. And then now I am presenting it this way, via photography, video and installation and no live performance. My work is and always has been art as a visual way of thinking and questioning. When I present the work at home in Singapore I have more specific issues at hand whereas outside of Singapore I risk making generalizations.
Q: You don’t sound very happy. In fact many have found cynicism in your work.
A: Yes I feel a little dejected with how things have developed. In the beginning there was so much hope for something really extraordinary. And there was a kind of belief that as an artist one is able to contribute something radically critical and visually interesting at the same time and be appreciated for it. But I try to be happy although I’m not. In fact I think my work always had a humorous edge. That’s why I have come to this “strange fruit”. It’s kind of sad and funny at the same time. Some things never change and yet there are lots of changes to deal with and in the midst of it we are growing with it into something new, and perhaps in my unhappy state of mind I try to see it as wondrous and “strange”. We try to be optimistic and look at things positively and say that restrictions can also lead to more creativity however I think it also limits and constrains us. Its like being forced to walk a straight and narrow path when you know that what you see in front of you is wild and open ground. But still art making is a way to free us by working things out of this contradictory relationship.
Q: How does art frees you when you are working under restrictive conditions?
A: It’s the way that art reconciles contradictions in its manifestation that is also liberating. Somehow it’s more of a spiritual than material thing. Although we manifest it through physical objects and that is why for me performance art is closest to it although we still have our physical body and a physical place to deal with. It’s not necessary to have an end physical product. I think that is one of the thing, which a capitalistic, consumer-based, materialistic society fears most about performance art. More than it’s other inherent dangers.
Q: What are the other dangers?
A: Good question.
Strange Fruit
Strange Fruit
solo exhibition
The Substation
Singapore
15 – 31 October 2003
The works refer to my on-going series “Journey of a yellow man”. It was also in response to the funding ban on performance art by the National Arts Council Singapore during the years 1994 to 2003. Since the exhibition was being funded by the NAC, in order not to violate the proscription on performance art, I had decided to make the performances before the exhibition and incorporate them as photographic and video installations. These photographs were not exhibited then due to constrains of space as I had two video installations with one wall of photographs that already filled the gallery nicely.
The performance was done with intention to be seen in an exhibition as art works in the media of photographs and video installation. It was also done knowing that it was also the lantern festival. The use of lanterns for this work during lantern festival also gave me a right to perform without a public entertainment license as it was in a way a personal celebration of doing a one man lantern procession.
I had done a performance action ending with the yellow man laying atop a green, globe or sphere floating on the river in Lunaganga, Sri Lanka (Theertha International Artists Workshop – 2001). Using a cane construction structure the canopy was covered with green twines and vines so that it looked like a globe island floating on the river. I would lie down on the green globe island helplessly hugging on top of it.
For ‘Strange Fruits’ a similar cane canopy structure was made and instead of covering it with green vines it was attached with Chinese red lanterns. The lanterns are typical symbols of Chinese ethnicity found in China town and Chinese restaurants all over the world. Carrying this as the yellow man it gives an over the top image, almost a double emphasis of stereotyping of ethnicity in identity formation.
The lanterns were carried through different landscapes typical of Singapore, from downtown, passing shop-houses, back alleys, housing estate, green park and ending on a beach. It is likening to a lantern procession during lantern festival or even like a karvadi carried during Hindu festival of Thaipusam. An inflated rubber tire tube is tied to the inside of the canopy and floated on the sea. The final image is that of the lanterns floating off in the sea as if going on another journey beyond. The video installation in the exhibition has splashing of waves on the beach in the sound track, which only became more apparent as we see it floating off the beach and into the sea.
The work is also represented in a video installation facing “Splash!” a narrow passageway which is lighted up with yellow fluorescent light, yellow carpet and painted wall to wall to ceiling in yellow. At the end of the passageway is a video projection of my face being constantly splashed with yellow paint. The two installations have sounds of water splashing.
solo exhibition
The Substation
Singapore
15 – 31 October 2003
The works refer to my on-going series “Journey of a yellow man”. It was also in response to the funding ban on performance art by the National Arts Council Singapore during the years 1994 to 2003. Since the exhibition was being funded by the NAC, in order not to violate the proscription on performance art, I had decided to make the performances before the exhibition and incorporate them as photographic and video installations. These photographs were not exhibited then due to constrains of space as I had two video installations with one wall of photographs that already filled the gallery nicely.
The performance was done with intention to be seen in an exhibition as art works in the media of photographs and video installation. It was also done knowing that it was also the lantern festival. The use of lanterns for this work during lantern festival also gave me a right to perform without a public entertainment license as it was in a way a personal celebration of doing a one man lantern procession.
I had done a performance action ending with the yellow man laying atop a green, globe or sphere floating on the river in Lunaganga, Sri Lanka (Theertha International Artists Workshop – 2001). Using a cane construction structure the canopy was covered with green twines and vines so that it looked like a globe island floating on the river. I would lie down on the green globe island helplessly hugging on top of it.
For ‘Strange Fruits’ a similar cane canopy structure was made and instead of covering it with green vines it was attached with Chinese red lanterns. The lanterns are typical symbols of Chinese ethnicity found in China town and Chinese restaurants all over the world. Carrying this as the yellow man it gives an over the top image, almost a double emphasis of stereotyping of ethnicity in identity formation.
The lanterns were carried through different landscapes typical of Singapore, from downtown, passing shop-houses, back alleys, housing estate, green park and ending on a beach. It is likening to a lantern procession during lantern festival or even like a karvadi carried during Hindu festival of Thaipusam. An inflated rubber tire tube is tied to the inside of the canopy and floated on the sea. The final image is that of the lanterns floating off in the sea as if going on another journey beyond. The video installation in the exhibition has splashing of waves on the beach in the sound track, which only became more apparent as we see it floating off the beach and into the sea.
The work is also represented in a video installation facing “Splash!” a narrow passageway which is lighted up with yellow fluorescent light, yellow carpet and painted wall to wall to ceiling in yellow. At the end of the passageway is a video projection of my face being constantly splashed with yellow paint. The two installations have sounds of water splashing.