“How’s the protest going? Did anything break through?”
“It is always the Hong Kong Police made things worse. They intruded two universities in Hong Kong.”
“Geez…Battle in university is unacceptable and unforgivable. What could we help those students?”
“Tangible support is always the best. Apart from that, we need to inform as many people as we can about the protest; and should clarify as much misleading information as we can. There were many rumours about protesters. For instance, the Chinese government thought we were fighting for independence, but we were actually fighting for basic human rights (freedom of speech, freedom of movement, fair justice etc.) and democracy.”
“Is that the reason you have included videos and news about the protest in your latest work? that one in your Unit 1 Show?”
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“That is one of the reasons. The title of the work is ‘Something in his mind’. It was a collage of videos and images that appeared in my mind and sensory perceived recently. During the exhibition, I was researching the growth of protesters in terms of their protective gears equipped and tactics applied against the authoritarian government. I usually stayed inside my setting and the research process was screened live. It was a hybrid form of process art and new media art.”
“It is quite a rare combination of art forms. Could you tell me more about it?”
“Among the different descriptions about process art and new media art, I referenced the Tate’s introduction. Process art emphasized the process of making art instead of the finished artwork.1 In the sense that the protest is ongoing, as well as the development of protesting strategies, I want to demonstrate the evolutionary aesthetic by displaying different news videos from different stages of protest, rather than the ultimate strategical succeed, if there is any.”
“New media art might refer to the use of new technology originated since the 1980s. This could include, but not limited to, digital art, internet art, 3D printing or computer-programmed interactive art.2 As the protest relied heavily on internet social media in strategy discussion, news streaming broadcast and information distribution, use of computers, internet, projection and streaming skills were perhaps the best way of showing my art piece.”
“Very interesting! Are there anything worth to notice?”
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“Thanks for the interest. hmmm…The video of a building with a flashing light bulb in the dark was located in one of the universities that Hong Kong Police intruded. I was studying there 3 years ago. Some protest slogans were recorded in the video with road scenes taken on a tram. The videos showing me sewing and cycling referred to my sensory perception; the news streaming video and me browsing on social media referred to fragments appeared in my mind. What I really appreciated was audiences tried to talk with me about the protest during the exhibition period. This was the most precious thing to be noticed.”
1. Tate. “Process Art”. Accessed January 16, 2020. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/process-art
2. Tate. “New Media”. Accessed January 16, 2020. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/n/new-media