June 15, 2005
splash life
Maybe it was last year, or very early this year, when we sat around the outside table at Sleepywood, mesmerised by the pitchers of Long Island Ice tea, strong enough to float a spoon in. Michael was bitter about the absence of an art scene in the city like there is in every western town, where people from all arts, music, dance, whatever get together and make stuff. He had an idea, and a piece of music he wanted to use too.
Last night, in-between rainstorms that made feeble attempts to cool the sweating town, I took off to Shamian Island, the once bastion of the opium trade, and all things colonial. Art64 Gallery, along the island's main drag, choreographer Long Yunna from the Modern Dance Company, Michael and Izumi from the Orchestra, and several dancers, artists and musicians had all got together in the perspiring basement to make art, dance, performance, installation.
It was strange, surreal, funny, sometimes a bit clichéd, sometimes naive, innocent. Once again Long Yunna shows why she is the most interesting choreographer in most of Asia, and also along with several others lurking in the cellar is part of a group that could finally push the art scene in Guangzhou out of its persistent vegetative state.
grecian leaf frenzy
the splash in splash life
self-referential video(An aside rant possibly caused by tiredness I hope I live to regret: Who are these people? Why do they stand so close to the performance. I can't see past them! Oh! They are important people. They are The Media. They can stand where they want, and get in the way because they are important and Must. Take. Photos. (and video). Piss off idiots. You ruin it for everyone. We are not here to see you. You are not the art. You are a nuisance. Fuck off.)
it would be post-modern if it wasn't so fucking annoying