威尼斯双年展新加坡艺术家黄汉明（Ming Wong)展览现场
新加坡艺术家黄汉明（Ming Wong)威尼斯双年展新加坡国家馆《一世模仿》展览现场,2009
以下胡昉的小说《导演手记》收录于黄汉明：《一世模仿》，第五十三届威尼斯双年展新加坡国家馆展览画册，2009，第25-26页：
导演手记
我钟爱这样一个故事：素不相识的七男七女，在玻璃房子里共同生活一个月。在被切断和过去生活所有联系的情况下，他们相互之间展开全新的人生角逐，从而激发出人类所具有的最原始的爱欲情仇。
最开始的一周，看得出，他们小心翼翼，试探性地交往，企图用自己过去的辉煌和以往的社会身份来赢取对方的好感，但这一切在玻璃房子里就像空头支票般不具说服力，渐渐地，他们发现：只有身体和单纯而又甜蜜的话语才是决胜性的因素，它们才会向对方展示一个“真实的自我”。
在这个全透明的封闭空间，一切都被镜头监视着，全国的观众（包括他们各自的爱人）都围坐在电视机前，饶有兴致地观察着他们的一举一动，并按动手机，发出短信。
有时候，参赛者想向编导求救，承认自己的脆弱，然后退出比赛，但百万奖金诱惑着他们（每个人都有赢取奖金的充分理由），一种自我荣誉感也驱使着他们，使得他们谁也不想轻言放弃。
他们中的一些渡过一个又一个不眠之夜，伴随着他们在镜头前面的辗转反侧，他们各自的爱人也渡过一个又一个不眠之夜，要作出一个正确的决定是多么困难啊！按惯例，他们每天都必须对着镜头向爱人说几句话，大多是对往事的追忆、一些人生感悟和良心发现后的忏悔，引发了全国大面积的泪花。当他们深情脉脉地直视镜头，向想象中的爱人说话时，实际上他们是深情脉脉地凝视着观众，向所有的观众倾诉。一次又一次的经验告诉他们：重要的不是赢取玻璃房子里那个异性的好感，而是赢取玻璃房子外所有观众的好感。
参赛者的目光飘忽迷离，发射到玻璃房子外，犹如从地球上发往漆黑宇宙的信号。
终于，参赛者中的一对接吻了，他们如此深情，使得另一对也不甘落外地紧紧拥抱在一起。这个特写如此清晰和悠长，以至他们在玻璃房子外的爱人不得不用砸碎电视的方式中断这个无穷无尽的接吻。
玻璃房子在电视的碎片中裂成碎片，而情人们相互接吻的画面却深深残留在那个男人或女人的脑海中，成为此生挥之不去的记忆。
而我年轻时的梦想就是要成为这出“真实悲喜剧”的电视编导，在参赛者们热烈接吻、表现激情的同时，立刻将镜头切换到一个个私密空间内、电视机前那个男人或女人绝望的表情。
Ming Wong, Life of Imitation, Exhibition view at Singapore Pavilion, the 53th Venice Biennial, 2009
the following fiction is Hu Fang's contribution to Ming Wong, Life of Imitation, Singapore Pavilion, the 53th Venice Biennial, 2009, pp.25,26
I am particularly fond of this story: 7 men and 7 women who do not know one another, living in a glass house together for a month. Because their circumstances require that they sever all ties with their previous ways of life, they develop a brand new dynamic amongst themselves, and as a result, this sparks off the fundamental emotions of humankind - love, desire, passion and hatred.
During the first week, their caution with one another is evident. They make tentative attempts at communication, tapping on their past glories and social statuses to get into the good books of others. However, all that happens within the glass house is as convincing as empty promises. Gradually, they realise: the sole elements to victory are their own beings and the purity and simplicity of words; it is these things that are needed to reveal a "true self" to the other party.
Everything in this transparent and closed space is captured by the camera, and viewers from all over the country (including their own loved ones) are gathered around their televisions sets, watching their every move with intense interest, whipping out their cellphones to send text messages.
At times, the participants wonder if they should seek help from the director, admit to their personal weaknesses, and then withdraw from the competition. But the lure of millions of dollars in prize money is irresistible (everyone has valid reasons for why they ought to win). They are also constrained by their sense of personal pride, hence no one would allow himself or herself to give up that easily. Some of them endure sleepless nights, and their loved ones - following their struggles as observed by the camera - consequently suffer the same insomnia with them. How difficult it was to make the right decision!
As required, each of them has to say a few words via the camera to their loved ones each day; most of the time, these revolve around their recollections on the past, realisations about life and confessions when their consciences are pricked. These in turn elicit widespread national tears. When the participants look right into the camera, and speak to their loved ones with deep emotions, in actual fact, they are gazing at the audience, confiding in them with great sentiment. Time and time again, this experience reiterates to them: what is important is not leaving good impressions on the opposite sex in that glass house, but rather, winning the favour of the audiences outside the glass house.
The participants' views are indistinct, and when projected beyond the glass house, are akin to messages sent from earth into the dark unknown that is outer space.
Finally, a pair amongst the participants kiss. Their profound love spur on another pair, unwilling to be left behind, to embrace each other. This incredibly lucid and protracted feature story drives their loved ones outside of the glass house to resort to smashing up their television sets in a bid to break that endless kiss.
The fragments of the television set are symbolic of the shattering of the glass house. Yet the image of the kissing lovers remains deeply seared into the minds of that man or that woman; it has become an indelible memory in their lives.
In my youth, I dreamed of becoming the director of that "tragicomic reality show". As the participants are wrapped up in their passionate embraces, I would have the shot cut to a series of personal, private spaces, to focus on the despair on the face of that man or woman sitting before the television.
Notes from a Film Director
