Hello socks!

As soon as I entered the pavement a woman yelled at me ‘hello socks!’. I looked down at my feet and didn’t find anything wrong with them. Then she yelled ‘hello watch!’. It took a couple of exclamations before I understood she was trying to sell me the pieces she was addressing. I shouldn’t have been surprised, since Chinese are the most industrious people I have ever met. Lacking a dominant religion (Buddhists are in minority), Chinese agendas are free from moments of prayer or Sabbath, enabling them to engage in a 24-7 economy. From Monday to Sunday, people are working, producing and trading like there is no tomorrow. As I mentioned before, most Chinese are in it for the long run, earning money for their families and children. The flipside to this manic economy is of course the risk of exploitation and lack of safety for laborers. Some students find themselves in a squeeze, forced to choosing a profession that their parents prefer, usually solid moneymaking jobs, like lawyers, doctors or engineers. The artistic professions are considered inferior, and therefore most Chinese students choosing an education in arts, have had to overcome some hurdles in their families first. A battle which not many students win, certainly when they are still financially and emotionally depending on their parents.

 

The ones that do manage are usually very eager to learn. Therefore many art classes pay visits to outside places, like galleries, museums and artist studios. I have met several students by now who are very interested in anything different from what they know already. The other day an entire class entered my studio and what turned out to be their teacher gave his students a long monologue about my work. In Chinese. He pointed out details in my work and the class followed his gestures. I was becoming quite curious what this man had to say about my work. So when he had finally stopped, I asked one of the English speaking students to fill me in. True to his Chinese efficiency, he said: ‘in one word, amazing!’. Very flattering of course, but it didn’t leave me with much insight. To me and my Scottish colleague’s amazement, the class then pulled out their cameras in sync and flashed away.

 

Countering this brilliant experience stand of course some lukewarm receptions as well. One Chinese guide leading German tourists could not help being indignant about my materials. And what is an Anti-Room he asked, was it a place high up in the mountains? A German lady came to the rescue as the conversation, held in German, became increasingly complicated. According to her, an artist does what he feels is right, and the public should just shut up about it and follow his lead. Whether she was annoyed by her guide or she was craving her lunch, the group left not long after her (very German?) remark, leaving me to my work.

 

Being part of the new economy myself, I work in my studio fulltime. This enables me to fully concentrate on my process and gradually prepare my exhibition which will start in two weeks’ time. Following up on some good advice from other artists here in M50, I will start framing my work, which is a first. The other side to the Chinese economy being, that labor and materials are still quite cheap. Obviously a ‘positive’ side effect to the lack of unions and what we would call fair trade. Leaving me wondering still, whether I should participate in this situation or not.

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