Utopia installation by Penny Woolock

utopia installation

 

What is the definition of ‘utopia’? According to the Oxford dictionary, the definition is as follows: “An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. The word was first used in the book Utopia (1516) by Sir Thomas More. The opposite of dystopia.”

This year, The Roundhouse invited award-winning British director and filmmaker Penny Woolcock to create a ground breaking installation Utopia. In collaboration with set design team Block9, Utopia is a multi-sensory exhibition focusing on urban issues in recent times including inequality, consumerism, housing, gentrification, education, crime and social media.

 

utopia installation utopia installation

 

Akin to an immersive theatre setting (except there are no actors involved), visitors are encouraged to spend an hour wandering around the atmospheric setting filled with art and sound installations. There are audio testimonies and stories of Londoners – including drug dealer, prostitute, NHS worker and teenager etc – throughout the exhibition, and each story reveals the harsh reality of life or as an outcast of the society.

In one of the rooms, it is filled with tower of cardboard boxes that resembles a self-storage warehouse, and each box is branded with a label – desirability, cool, glamour, happiness and spirituality etc. These goals or our society’s emphasis on achievements merely create more discrimination, inequality and dysfunctionalilty; and in essence, they are shallow and unrealistic.

 

Penny Woolcock: Introducing the Artist Behind Utopia 

 

It is probably more appropriate to use the word ‘dystopia’ as its title, because there is no perfect world here (nor in real life), utopia is an illusionary world that exists in the minds of the deluded. On paper, it would be easy to dismiss the exhibition as patronising and pessimistic, but I found the exhibition genuine, thought-provoking and inspiring. At the end of the day, we have to accept that human beings are conditioned and flawed; however, we also have the extraordinary ability to create, empathise and support each other. Altruism may not be a word that is associated with our capitalist society, but perhaps this is the closest solution to the issues that we are facing in our dystopian society today.

 

Penny WoolcockUtopia is on until23 August at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8EH.

Asia Triennial Manchester 2014

I visited Manchester once when I was at university when my friends and I drove to the city and spent half a day there. I don’t recall much except for traffic jams and gloominess; needless to say, I was not particularly impressed. Yet when I found out about the Asia Triennial Manchester this autumn (27th Sept – 23rd November), I was curious and wanted to visit the city again, properly.

I have never heard of the Asia Triennial before, but I was intrigued by what I saw via the media. However, with work getting busier, I only booked one night there, which I later regretted. With only 36 hours in the city, I decided to plan ahead and so I emailed the event’s PR for more information. Catherine was very helpful and emailed me the event brochures and press releases before my trip. Although there are ongoing events and activities (including symposium, film programme and open studios etc) throughout the triennial, most of them had already taken placed as the festival was coming to a close.

One of the main events at the Triennial was “Harmonious Society” exhibition curated by Centre for Contemporary Chinese art. The exhibition re-examined the ‘conflicts’ and ‘harmony’ of China and that of Asia and the world. The Chinese title of the exhibition can be translated as: ‘Nothing (has happened) under the heavens’, which is derived from the current socio-economic vision and political proposition of China’s regime since 2005.

The project invited 30 artists from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong to develop artistic responses that are specially commissioned and site-specific. It took place in six venues across the city centre, though unfortunately one of the main sites, Artwork was closed while I was there.

 

manchester cathedral Li WeiZheng Guogu

 At the Manchester Cathedral – Top right: Li Wei’s “A decorative thing”; Main: Zheng Guogu’s “Brain Lines”

 

I didn’t know what to expect before my trip, but I was expecting the weather to be cold, grey and wet. Instead, I left the cold, wet and grey London behind and arrived to find blue sky, sun and warmer weather, whcih took me by surprise and made my trip even more pleasant!

At the historical Manchester Cathedral, Chinese artsist Zheng Guogu‘s “Brain Lines” consists of 13 freestanding light boxes, representing the 12 Apostles and Jesus. The work explores the fine line between faith and science, visually representing the connections both within the brain and between Jesus and the 12 Apostles.

Another piece of work nearby “A decorative thing” is created by another Chinese artist Li Wei. The mirror sculpture is a response to the Cathedral’s Gothic architecture, and its frame is adorned with animals and fantastical hybrid creatures. This provides a literal reflection on humanity, evolution, scientific and religious beliefs.

 

The John Rylands libraryThe John Rylands libraryJohn Rylands libraryThe John Rylands library Samson YoungJohn Rylands librarySamson YoungZhao YaoThe John Rylands libraryAnnie Lai Kuen Wan Wang YuyangThe John Rylands library The John Rylands library

The John Rylands Library – 2nd row right & 3rd row middle: Samson Young‘s “Muted Situations”; 3rd row right: Zhao Yao‘s ” Wonderlands”; 5th row left: Annie Lai Kuen Wan‘s “Lost in Biliterate and trilingual”; 5th row right: Wang Yuyang‘s “Breathing books”

 

I have visited many libraries in the world, but I never knew that one of the most spectacular libraries in the world is situated in Manchester! The neo-Gothic Grade I listed John Rylands Library was built as a memorial to her husband by Mrs John Rylands. She commissioned Basil Champneys to design the building, which took 10 years to complete and was opened to the public in 1900. In 2007, a £17 million extension project was completed, offering modern facilities and better accessibility.

Several artists’ work could be found in various locations within the library including: Wang Yuyang‘s “Breathing books”, Zhao Yao‘s ” Wonderlands”, Annie Lai Kuen Wan‘s “Lost in Biliterate and trilingual”, Samson Young‘s “Muted Situations” and Jin Feng‘s “Chinese plates”.

In the middle of the spectacular reading room, there was a pile of books on a table, and they turned out to be an installation by Chinese artists Wang Yuyang. I inspected the seemingly ordinary books up-close, and suddenly the books started to move in slow, breathing motion! Elsewhere, there was a display of 18 white ceramic books created by Hong Kong ceramic artist Annie Lai. These white books are moulded from various bilingual dictionaries, and yet they have no text and cannot be opened, thus, transforming the purpose of dictionaries. I was also intrigued by Hong Kong composer and sound artist Samson Young’s video installations (the videos are available to watch via his weblink above) of various sonic situations. The work explores sound layer, where foreground sounds are consciously muted or suppressed, and as a result the less-commonly-noticed layers are revealed (this work echoes John Cage‘s famous piece, 4’33”), challenging the viewers/listeners’ expectations and assumptions on images and sounds.

 

Yang Zhenzhongfootball passion

National Football Museum – Top: Yang Zhengzhong’s “Long live the Great Union”

 

At the National Football Museum, one of the exhibition floor was closed and so I didn’t see some of the exhibits except for Chinese artist Yang Zhenzhong‘s “Long live the Great Union. From the side, the 3-D architectural installation of Tiananmen Square are seen as 9 separate pieces. But from one viewpoint through a hole, the architecture is ‘reassembled’ in front of the viewer’s eyes. A clever and playful installation that coincides with the ‘harmonious’ theme of the exhibition.

 

MOSIMOSI MOSILuxury Logico's Solar, ManchesterChen Chieh-Jen's "Realm of Reverberations" Chen Chieh-Jen's "Realm of Reverberations"Chen Chieh-Jen's "Realm of Reverberations"

Museum of Science and Industry – 3rd row: Luxury Logico’s “Solar, Manchestr”; 4th & 5th row: Chen Chieh-Jen’s “Realm of Reverberations”

 

The Museum of Science and industry is another wonderful discovery during my stay in Manchester. I spent hours here, and I would have stayed longer if it wasn’t for the tight schedule! I have always had a strange fascination with old industrial machines, aesthetically and mechanically (perhaps I am geekier than I realised). At the museum, I felt like a kid in a candy store because the museum is full of beautiful machinery! The museum is huge, and it is composed of several buildings including two Grade I listed buildings: the world’s first railway station, Manchester Liverpool Road and 1830 warehouse.

One unmissable outdoor installation was “Solar, Manchester” created by Taiwanese artists group, Luxury Logico. Specifically constructed for the exhibition, this installation is composed of over 100 reclaimed street lamps from Greater Manchester and are refitted with LEDs to create an artificial sun. The ‘glowing’ sun, symbolising hope and optimism about a high-tech and sustainable future, could be seen by passerby from afar after dark.

Elsewhere at the museum, exhibits included: Hong Kong artist Lee Kit‘s ” I don’t owe you anything” and four Taiwanese artists: Chang Huei-Ming‘s “The last rose”, Kao Jun-Honn‘s “Malan girl”, Yao Jui-Chung‘s Long, Long live” and Chen Chieh-Jens “Realm of Reverberations”

I was especially touched by international renowned artist Chen Chieh-Jen’s subdued “Realm of Reverberations”, consisted of four video works of Taiwan’s first leprosy hospital, Losheng Sanatorium, established in 1929 during the period of Japanese colonisation. The government’s decision to demolish the building and relocate the sanatorium in 1994 for the expansion of the metro system caused outcry and protest amongst the locals because many of the residents had lived there their entire lives. Chen Chieh-Jen’s daunting and powerful videos act as photographed cinema, documenting the eradication of memories, history and ‘home’ (now a ruins) to a vulnerable group of elderly and disabled victims. His works capture the pain and isolation of these victims, and highlight the issues of marginalisation and inequality in our consumer society today.

This exhibition is currently exhibiting in Paris at Galerie Olivier Robert (5 Rue des Haudriettes, 75003 Paris) until 13th December.

 

CFCCACFCCAPak Sheung ChuenPak Sheung ChuenPak Sheung Chuen Liu Xiaodong

Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art – Top right, 2nd & bottom row left: Pak Sheung Chuen’s “Resenting Hong Kong series”; Bottom right: Liu Xiaodong’s “In between Israel and Palestine”

 

It is interesting that the only art organisation in the UK dedicated to contemporary Chinese art is based in Manchester and not London. The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art has been exploring Chinese contemporary art and visual culture for 28 years through innovative programme of exhibitions, residencies, projects, festivals, symposia and events etc.

At the centre, two Chinese artists responded very differently to the theme. In gallery 1, Chinese artist Liu Xiaodong presented “In Between Israel and Palestine”, a collection of realist paintings, accompanied by video diary and journal excerpts from his one month stay in Tel Aviv and the Holy Land. The artist is known for his documentations of social issues in China through his carefully orchestrated compositions in his work. In this case, everyday life in Israel and Palestine is depicted in a diptych format, which acts as a visual conveyance of the divide in the region.

In Gallery 2, Hong Kong conceptual artist Pak Sheung Chuen explores identity and historical significance in “Resenting Hong Kong series: Resenting my own history”. This exhibition is particularly timely because of what has been happening with the ‘Umbrella revolution’ in Hong Kong recently.

In this project, the artist invited Hong Kong people to donate HKD $1 coins with Queen Elizabeth II’s profile (still found in circulation sometimes) and to stipulate someone in the U.K. to scrape away this profile on the ground. This action separates Hong Kongers and the British, previously connected by the two sides of the coin, and leaves a mark on the ground in the U.K. Some of the coins are assembled into a mirror, creating a moment of reflection on the past and future. During the exhibition period, visitors were also encouraged to participate in this on-going project.

 

Kashif Nadim ChaudryKashif Nadim Chaudry

 Kashif Nadim Chaudry’s “Swags and Tails”

 

At the Manchester Craft and Design Centre, Nottingham-based British Muslim artist Kashif Nadim Chaudry is showcasing artwork featuring skulls and stitches at his third solo exhibition, “Swags and Tails” (until 31 January 2015) as part of the festival.

The exhibition explores family traditions, religion, sexuality and politics. Chaudry mixes traditional craft techniques with conceptual, sculptural forms, using unusual and challenging materials. As a gay Muslim, Chaudry is outspoken about his identity and constantly uses his artistic work to push boundaries in relation to his sexuality and religion. Insider the former Victorian fish market, visitors can view Chaudry‘s haunting, beautiful, and skillful pieces installed in various areas within the venue.

Due to time constraint, I was not able to visit all the venues that took part at the festival, but I was glad to have visited the main venues within the city centre. Now I will have to wait three years for the next festival, but hopefully I will be more prepared and have more time to wander (without rushing) next time!

 

 

Sonic city: The art of sound

Recently I have been contemplating sounds and silence a lot.

My relationship with the sounds and silence changed when I started practising meditation; and as a consequence, my senses have been heightened significantly. Yet I had to go through a transitional period initially because I was overwhelmed by my increased sensory sensitivity. I couldn’t cope with being in a crowded and noisy room full of people because I felt like the noise had been amplified more than usual. At the same time, I was learning to ‘listen’ again and appreciating the sound of silence. But I soon realised that it is almost impossible to be in a completely silent environment because there is always background noise, even in nature. There are sounds of animals, insects, rain, wind and leaves rattling, but to be able to detect and differentiate these sounds require some kind of awareness. City dwellers would block out certain sounds in order to cope with the noise level in the city, and over time we become more immune to sounds in the city (and this applies especially to those who constantly have their headphones on).

 

phone map

Mobile phone conversations across London are highlighted in this map

 

When we listen to music, it has an ability to trigger our emotions, and we can be transported to a different state of mind, be it sentimental, joyful, irritable or calm etc. Yet sounds of nature or random noise contain no narrative, and so we rarely pay attention to the background noise that surrounds us all the time. In a recent interview, Sir John Hegarty, ( founding creative partner at Bartle Bogle Hegarty advertising agency and author of the book ‘Hegarty on Creativity‘) made this valid statement on how people nowadays choose to block out their surroundings rather than interact with it:

 

I get really, really pissed off when I see my creative people coming in with headphones in… and they put a little wall round themselves. They listen to their music – and yes music is wonderful, I made a career out of using great music. But if you walk around cutting yourself off you are eliminating influence, you are eliminating the possibility that you are going to pick up stories, ideas, thoughts that are happening all around you and as a creative person that is completely wrong.”

 

His statement reminds me of American avant-garde composer, writer, artist and sound lover John Cage‘s 1952 conceptual piece 4′33″. This Zen Buddhism-inspired piece is ‘performed’ by the musicians on stage without sound, which not only challenges the audience’s expectations but it also makes them listen and become aware of the surroundings. The clip below reveals his insightful views on sounds and silence, and I found it fascinating that he regarded sounds as ‘just sounds’ but nothing else…

 

John Cage on sounds and silence

 

Over the last few years, I noticed the term ‘sound artist’ popping up more frequently. Sound or sonic art, which is regarded as a form of conceptual art has been receiving more attention than ever. Last year, both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York presented a sound installation and an sound exhibition respectively. Yet this form of art has been around for about a century, and its roots can be traced back to Italian Futurist artist Luigi Russolo‘s L’Arte dei rumori (Art of noise) published in 1916. This manifesto revolutionalised the way people perceive noise and sound, and it has influenced many musicians (including John Cage), acousticians, artists and so forth.

Another pioneer who greatly influenced Cage and many others including contemporary sound artist Bill Fontana was the Dada artist Marcel Duchamp (Cage and Duchamp even collaborated on several occasions including a short sequence in the film by Hans RichterDream that Money can buy” made in 1947). Although not a musician, Duchamp composed two musical works and a conceptual piece around 1913. And his profound and thought-provoking view on sound as a sculptural medium was noted in The Green box (1934), “Musical Sculpture: sounds lasting and leaving from different places and forming a sound sculpture that lasts.

American experimental composer and sound artist (also a friend of Cage), Alvin Lucier has been exploring the physical properties of sound since the 1960s. His career’s turning point arrived when created “Music for solo performer” in 1965; in this piece, electrodes are attached to his head so that his alpha brainwaves are amplified in front of an audience (it sounds very bizarre even by today’s standard). Then in 1969, he created “I am sitting in a room”, in which Lucier records himself narrating a text, and then plays the recording back into the room, re-recording it over and over again. Both of his pieces are ground-breaking and like Cage‘s work, they challenge the listeners/audience to view sound as wavelengths rather than musical notes.

 

I am sitting in a room from Brodo on Vimeo.

 

Yet for decades, sound art has not been fully recognised by the public, probably because most people are not quite sure what category it falls into. Is it installation art with sound? Can sound be an art form? I think these are the most common questions that puzzle the general public. And when the prestigious Turner Prize was awarded to Scottish artist Susan Philipsz for her sound installationLowlandsin 2010 (the first time a sound installation had been nominated and won), it helped to change the public’s perception on sound art and made them more aware of this art form.

 

Susan Philipsz‘s Lowlands

 

This year, Thinking Digital Arts paired artist/designer Dominic Wilcox and creative technologist James Rutherford together to collaborate on a new commission in Newcastle. Taking tourist binoculars as inspiration, they created Binaudios, a device that enables the user to ‘listen’ to the sounds of the city. The Binaudios can be pointed at over 40 different locations, seen out of the Sage Gateshead window and different sounds can be heard associated to each specific location. Here is a video of the device and the sounds that can be heard:

 

Binaudios: Sounds of a city from Dominic Wilcox on Vimeo.

 

Last month, I attended a Late London event called Sonic City at The Museum of London Docklands, which explored sound and hidden noise in our city. Sound artist Scanner (aka Robin Rimbaud) created a multi-channel sound work, an installation that featured an expansive collage of voices from all over the world. I was particularly intrigued by contemporary sonic explorer and collector, Ian Rawes of the London Sound Survey‘s sound talk, where he played a recording of the mechanical engine sounds inside Tower bridge. The website also contains a sound map of London, where you would find recordings of background atmospheres and incidental noises from all over London. Utterly fascinating.

I also took part in another event called The art of listening, created by sound artist Helen Frosi, of the SoundFjord lab. Participants were invited to respond to sound through the medium of drawing, creating something visual using your sonic perceptions. It was fun to draw by following the sound waves because it was spontaneous and quite liberating to go the flow of the sound rather than planning on what to draw.

The final event I took part in was a sound walk led by sound artist Maria Papadomanolaki from Points of Listening based at the University of Arts London. The walk took place on the quayside outside of the museum, we were divided into groups and each group was given a designated point and a card to write down our thoughts, feelings and ideas at each point. I have never been on a sound walk in the city before, and so the experience was quite an ‘ear-opener’ for me. It is quite astonishing how much extraneous noise our human auditory system can filter out without us even realising it!

 

Next time if you are out on a busy street, instead of putting your headphones on, try to detect and differentiate all the noise around you and ask yourself if you can hear a pattern? What is the frequency? Are you feeling irritated by the the noise? But why? Does the noise cause any vibration? Does your body feel the vibration internally? Like Hegarty said, don’t cut yourself off from the world around you, embrace and observe it, it is only by doing so that we can fully experience life as it is and appreciate the wonders the city has to offer us.