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Comments on: Zhang Huan and Allan Kaprow (this might be a little long, my bad :]) http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/orenstein07/?p=68 Seminar 1 with Professor Orenstein | HN C100 | W 3:10-5:40 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:26:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: JGreenfield http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/orenstein07/?p=68#comment-53 JGreenfield Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:32:52 +0000 http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/orenstein07/?p=68#comment-53 I have to say, I flat disagree with your assessment of Zhang Huan's American pieces. If anything, the purpose was clearer as it was often politically motivated (i.e. meat suit, "My America," etc.) While I accept the block of ice was not quite like the other America pieces we saw displayed, it fit his theme of testing himself and his environment (which includes his audience - shock value is testing). "My America" was a bit confusing at first, but the symbolism was easy to follow when you took a step back. First of all, there are no darkly colored people in the film; its a whole bunch of white people, a few Asian/pacific islanders, and perhaps a few Latinos. While this makes sense because Seattle is a white a city as you can find, it still leaves an impression. He has the people naked and act like animals, perhaps to show what they are really like beneath the facade of wealth and class superiority. Zhang Huan climbs down from the top of the group and sits alone on the floor in the center, as if placed on a pedestal. When he does nothing, they throw bread at him. This may signify a social darwinist ideology of charity to those who are beneath you, along the lines of Carnegie's "gospel of wealth." His pieces in the states represented a freedom he did not have in China: freedom to criticize and mock the government and people of your country. While technically his right to do so is not absolute because he is not a citizen and thus does not receive a constitutional guarantee, he still has more liberty than in his native land. I have to say, I flat disagree with your assessment of Zhang Huan’s American pieces. If anything, the purpose was clearer as it was often politically motivated (i.e. meat suit, “My America,” etc.) While I accept the block of ice was not quite like the other America pieces we saw displayed, it fit his theme of testing himself and his environment (which includes his audience - shock value is testing).
“My America” was a bit confusing at first, but the symbolism was easy to follow when you took a step back. First of all, there are no darkly colored people in the film; its a whole bunch of white people, a few Asian/pacific islanders, and perhaps a few Latinos. While this makes sense because Seattle is a white a city as you can find, it still leaves an impression. He has the people naked and act like animals, perhaps to show what they are really like beneath the facade of wealth and class superiority. Zhang Huan climbs down from the top of the group and sits alone on the floor in the center, as if placed on a pedestal. When he does nothing, they throw bread at him. This may signify a social darwinist ideology of charity to those who are beneath you, along the lines of Carnegie’s “gospel of wealth.”
His pieces in the states represented a freedom he did not have in China: freedom to criticize and mock the government and people of your country. While technically his right to do so is not absolute because he is not a citizen and thus does not receive a constitutional guarantee, he still has more liberty than in his native land.

]]> By: COrenstein http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/orenstein07/?p=68#comment-44 COrenstein Sat, 29 Sep 2007 11:44:08 +0000 http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/orenstein07/?p=68#comment-44 I thought i would mention that I got another tour of the Zhang Huan exhibit on Thursday, as part of a luncheon the President of Hunter organized to help establish a closer relationship between our two instituttions. This tour was with the curator of the show, and was a bit more insightful. One of the things she said about the piece with the block of ice was that his intention was to melt the ice. This puts it a little more in line with the Chinese performances- endurance with a purpose, the human body transforming the elements of the natural world. She also mentioned that the early Chinese performances were done in the aftermath of Tianemen Square, and were a political act by poor artists in a particularly repressive period for the arts. I should also just mention that this artist's name is Alan Kaprow. Thanks, Claudia I thought i would mention that I got another tour of the Zhang Huan exhibit on Thursday, as part of a luncheon the President of Hunter organized to help establish a closer relationship between our two instituttions. This tour was with the curator of the show, and was a bit more insightful. One of the things she said about the piece with the block of ice was that his intention was to melt the ice. This puts it a little more in line with the Chinese performances- endurance with a purpose, the human body transforming the elements of the natural world. She also mentioned that the early Chinese performances were done in the aftermath of Tianemen Square, and were a political act by poor artists in a particularly repressive period for the arts.
I should also just mention that this artist’s name is Alan Kaprow.
Thanks,
Claudia

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