Another scene - Shanghart, Exhibition views!
Shi Yong：THE CONFIDENTIAL TRUTH
Video Project Interview - by Fu Xiaodong
"Reality" is the world inseparable from your judgments and choices, and no matter which class you belonged to, or what kind of values, attitude and stand you hold, it influences you from time to time. My reality looks seems like I' m holding a television remote control, and I'm constantly changing the channels, then I switch off the television.
The relationship between the self and reality seems a bit like naturally leaving home and just as naturally coming home for a spell. No matter whether coming or going, it always has something to do with home. I think it is appropriate to use this metaphor to describe my relationship with reality.
I try hard in my work to show the so-called "fact" from a neutral standpoint, but it is almost impossible. When I decided to present my idea to the public through media, it was just the proof of an inclination of my attitude and stance, whether or not it was intended. In these two works of mine I acted more like a manufacturer with a purpose than a by-stander: "Think it over, what did you do yesterday" (referred to as "What did you do" hereafter) and "Your secret is my weapon" (referred as "Secret" hereafter).
I am not sure what part of reality could strike me most, I am only aware that spending everyday here would eventually result in something that would strike me. Some of these occurrences are left in my memory as edited details, and some are completely forgotten. These may not constitute the source of my works, but at least I would not employ them intentionally. In general, my works are produced by the "stimulation" of reality. It has nothing to do with being moved. In dealing with my works, in general I would develop them from a certain idea, formulating them bit by bit in the course of development for the purpose of intensifying what I want to express and in the hopes of some metaphysical discourse. Of course, self-control is one thing, but when your work is put in front of the public, it is another thing.
Truthfully I have been trying hard to break free from some of some previous things, including symbols and devices. I think everybody will face their own transformation, some gradually, some as a way of leaping forward. The real beginning with the idea of memory of reality and fiction is the video "What Did You Do", in which I was able to discover some hidden dimensions of some works. I think it could be one of my new approaches to creation. Recently I am especially interested in the idea of "expunging". I remind myself I had this idea in 2006 in the "No Kassel Documentary Exhibition of 2007". But the direct motives and feeling of the work participating in the "Homesick" exhibition come from last year's video "What Did You Do". During its filming, the first reaction of most people interviewed was the question of whether or not the interview would be made public later, or would it be put on the internet. Secondly, their "being forced to answer" made them feel quite uneasy; a conditional reaction of a social category would make them sub-consciously pass judgment and choose a method of "wiping out" what could be said, what could be neglected or what should never be said, what could be imagined. In most cases, they would prefer entering into certain sense of self-safety creating this thought-to-be "real" memory of their own. I feel it very interesting, thus I come to the realization of exposure of those covered by the direct use of "wiping out" and by the same "wiping out" approach, or a purposely manmade reality. Who knows then?
I like to dissolve the original story by inserting certain words in a narrative background and transforming them into another context. Recently I often made an attempt to put the verb "expunge" into different contexts for alternative possibilities. For instance, in "Secret", the insertion of "expunge" interrupted the original narration of memory and connected directly with "Secret". No matter whether this intensified "Secret" is true or not, important or not, the narrative property was emphasized.
"Secret" and the so-called "truth" is a pair of opposite ideas, they are inseparable. The investigation of "Secret" appears to dismantle the "truth". In fact it is associated with human instinct and desire to peer. In one's sub-consciousness, there is always a desire to enjoy the sudden changes of incident provided he is in a safe position. And just because of its popularity, "Secret" mostly constitutes a subversive energy. It could become a lethal weapon for controlling others. And to me, a "Secret" means "killing power". For each individual, "daily memory" is essentially fictitious, it is loyal to our needs for self-realization, it is a self-filter for our current social background.
Think carefully, where have you been yesterday?
2007
Video Project Interview - by Fu Xiaodong
"Reality" is the world inseparable from your judgments and choices, and no matter which class you belonged to, or what kind of values, attitude and stand you hold, it influences you from time to time. My reality looks seems like I' m holding a television remote control, and I'm constantly changing the channels, then I switch off the television.
The relationship between the self and reality seems a bit like naturally leaving home and just as naturally coming home for a spell. No matter whether coming or going, it always has something to do with home. I think it is appropriate to use this metaphor to describe my relationship with reality.
I try hard in my work to show the so-called "fact" from a neutral standpoint, but it is almost impossible. When I decided to present my idea to the public through media, it was just the proof of an inclination of my attitude and stance, whether or not it was intended. In these two works of mine I acted more like a manufacturer with a purpose than a by-stander: "Think it over, what did you do yesterday" (referred to as "What did you do" hereafter) and "Your secret is my weapon" (referred as "Secret" hereafter).
I am not sure what part of reality could strike me most, I am only aware that spending everyday here would eventually result in something that would strike me. Some of these occurrences are left in my memory as edited details, and some are completely forgotten. These may not constitute the source of my works, but at least I would not employ them intentionally. In general, my works are produced by the "stimulation" of reality. It has nothing to do with being moved. In dealing with my works, in general I would develop them from a certain idea, formulating them bit by bit in the course of development for the purpose of intensifying what I want to express and in the hopes of some metaphysical discourse. Of course, self-control is one thing, but when your work is put in front of the public, it is another thing.
Truthfully I have been trying hard to break free from some of some previous things, including symbols and devices. I think everybody will face their own transformation, some gradually, some as a way of leaping forward. The real beginning with the idea of memory of reality and fiction is the video "What Did You Do", in which I was able to discover some hidden dimensions of some works. I think it could be one of my new approaches to creation. Recently I am especially interested in the idea of "expunging". I remind myself I had this idea in 2006 in the "No Kassel Documentary Exhibition of 2007". But the direct motives and feeling of the work participating in the "Homesick" exhibition come from last year's video "What Did You Do". During its filming, the first reaction of most people interviewed was the question of whether or not the interview would be made public later, or would it be put on the internet. Secondly, their "being forced to answer" made them feel quite uneasy; a conditional reaction of a social category would make them sub-consciously pass judgment and choose a method of "wiping out" what could be said, what could be neglected or what should never be said, what could be imagined. In most cases, they would prefer entering into certain sense of self-safety creating this thought-to-be "real" memory of their own. I feel it very interesting, thus I come to the realization of exposure of those covered by the direct use of "wiping out" and by the same "wiping out" approach, or a purposely manmade reality. Who knows then?
I like to dissolve the original story by inserting certain words in a narrative background and transforming them into another context. Recently I often made an attempt to put the verb "expunge" into different contexts for alternative possibilities. For instance, in "Secret", the insertion of "expunge" interrupted the original narration of memory and connected directly with "Secret". No matter whether this intensified "Secret" is true or not, important or not, the narrative property was emphasized.
"Secret" and the so-called "truth" is a pair of opposite ideas, they are inseparable. The investigation of "Secret" appears to dismantle the "truth". In fact it is associated with human instinct and desire to peer. In one's sub-consciousness, there is always a desire to enjoy the sudden changes of incident provided he is in a safe position. And just because of its popularity, "Secret" mostly constitutes a subversive energy. It could become a lethal weapon for controlling others. And to me, a "Secret" means "killing power". For each individual, "daily memory" is essentially fictitious, it is loyal to our needs for self-realization, it is a self-filter for our current social background.
Think carefully, where have you been yesterday?
2007
