Unfinished work

Being away from home makes me reflect on my own
identity and the nature of my work. I started working with tape when I was
still in art school and I wanted to make a large mural installation. I applied
a large piece of tape to the wall and realized that it was just another way to
draw or paint. Feeling sad for the loss of my art works as I couldn’t take the
walls with me, I started using cardboard as a canvas. That’s 2.5 years ago now
and much has happened since. I developed my own handwriting and started to
explore a broader color pallet. I feel the material suits me: it is
unconventional, no-nonsense and new. Still, it is all experiment, part of my
artistic research. I have no clue where this will take me. Neither was I
prepared for people’s reactions here to my work.

 

The first day two girls entered the gallery. Seeing my
work, one started giggling, asking me if it was finished yet. The other wanted
to know if I had had some education at all. When I explained I had a degree in
visual arts, they suddenly brightened up. It turned out they were art students
in their second year. My work was obviously new to them and it probably made
them realize the endless possibilities artists can explore. They took pictures
and off they went.

 

The second day an entire class entered the gallery.
Seeing me work, they stopped and stared. Then one asked cautiously if they
could take pictures. I nodded and as I wanted to step aside I found myself
suddenly surrounded by a few dozen fifteen year olds: girls hooking their arms
in mine, guys tapping my shoulder and making V-signs. They didn’t care about
the work, they wanted to be in the picture with the bearded artist in the wild.
Then there was a Chinese man who I couldn’t understand, but he kept yelling
‘NICE! NICE!’. So frequently and loud that I started to wonder whether I was
missing out on some ritual that I had to respond to.

 

Many visitors pass by and with some I talk about my
work, art in general and the possibilities of artists in China. Although I have
met several people quite a few times before, they hardly open up just yet.
While visiting exhibitions with some of my new friends, instead of giving a
conceptual interpretation of art, they describe the process of the making. When
I ask them what they think the artist wanted to convey, they stick to
generalities like ‘loneliness’ or ‘beauty’. Political work is interpreted in
esthetical terms. Maybe in time we will have some more profound discussions
about art. Until then, I will continue my (other) unfinished work here.

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