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Huang Kui, one of the participating artists in the project “Interventions,” presented a work titled Outstanding Citizen Award. The artist gave the certificate and five RMB to anyone who would cross the street on a red light on Chang Shou Road in Shanghai on January 20th, 2007. The documentation of this action was posted on the art.mofile website as well as other sites, thus sparking heated discussion.Jin Feng: Your work in “Interventions” was the Outstanding Citizen Award. How do you see “Interventions” in terms of its theme, and how is your work integrated into the project? |
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Interventions – Jin Feng
Huang Kui, one of the participating artists in the project “Interventions,” presented a work titled Outstanding Citizen Award. The artist gave the certificate and five RMB to anyone who would cross the street on a red light on Chang Shou Road in Shanghai on January 20th, 2007. The documentation of this action was posted on the art.mofile website as well as other sites, thus sparking heated discussion.
Jin Feng: Your work in “Interventions” was the Outstanding Citizen Award. How do you see “Interventions” in terms of its theme, and how is your work integrated into the project?
Huang Kui: Firstly, I think my work was integrated into “Interventions” well. “Interventions” is a kind of dialogue, a relationship with public space and a different approach than the one we usually have in the gallery space. The point is to create some sort of change to the ordinary citizens’ routines or a dialogue on common views of urban life.
JF: So, you created the form of a dialogue in order to complete the work. You had your draft project proposal discussed with Biljana Ciric, curator of the project. Can you describe the theme and any discussions you had with other artists briefly?
HK: We did such a discussion at Biljana’s place. As for the art project and artists’ proposals, mutual understanding was necessary. So, every artist brought up their proposal as well as some original drafts to discuss with the others, and so did I. The discussion went on for a while about the possibilities for some works, and the outcome slightly differed from expectations.
JF: Then was there any change or adjustment between your original idea and the actual piece?
HK: There were minor changes, but they were not primary. Just a few details.
JF: That is to say that many artists have many ideas in the creation phase. Did you find yourself profiting from their ideas or did these give you a tougher time, even subconsciously? Did this situation exist prior to your creative process?
HK: Yes. For instance, I often discuss with you as you are an artist. Artists communicate before their work is settled, and I think this is necessary. Because artists ponder and create on their own during the creation phase, there are surely some incomplete issues to be worked out. But, during discussion with others, people look at your ideas in their personal way and sometimes they can provide more complete, more calm and more objective viewpoints on them. This can be a very meaningful progress. During the discussion, other ideas and suggestions may affect you, but it all depends. If you were sure about your original ideas, you might find yourself wanting to make additional supplements to and reflections on your work. Or, if you really see some problems with your ideas, then maybe you will decide to adjust your work.
JF: So, in this way, artists become demanding of themselves, but little by little it works itself out. About ten days after the end of “Interventions,” there should be some communication about and reflections on the project, both inside and outside of art circles. Specifically, they are saying on the internet that the project aims quite high since “Interventions” tries to absorb some of the city’s essence. So, maybe it only impressed people by tenderly making love with the city rather than by absorbing it in a more profound way. What do you think of the saying?
HK: I have noticed the discussion on the internet, and I think they are talking quite reasonably. I never minded what words they used to describe my work. People outside of the art world had similar first impressions of the work in their reflection on “Interventions,” but, overall, it was quite sensorial and positive. A dialogue or perhaps something more than that (effects, possibilities) are all possible understandings of it by the spectators, and they are never passive or guided in their comments. Upon consideration after the completion of the project, maybe there doesn’t seem to be enough outcome or online criticism, and perhaps it seems the “Interventions” project is too safe, but never on the level of true consideration or acting. So, the effects became our reflections on the “Interventions” project itself. We bring up the project to make people think; although it is over, the thinking over it never stops.
JF: I think good projects would result in some long-term discussion or some other ideas, and as now topics have arisen, I would consider Interventions to be a successful one. And now I want to know more about your work on site; can you describe it?
HK: My work was originally scheduled from 12am to 6pm, Jan 20th, because there were many uncontrolled factors, so we had reserved much more time to cover them. However, the recording went on rather smoothly, and we had a solution to every problem.
JF: So can you give us some examples?
HK: This is the first time I had a relationship with total strangers in a totally public space. We had no expectations of people’s reactions; it was a complete blank in our imagination, and we were all very nervous. When a woman holding a bicycle stepped onto the road under the red light, we decided to complete the first one, or else it may affect the following. And as she walked on, we went after her without hesitation. When it was finished, we had no more worries. Because the work could be done in this level, there must be an estimate about strangers at the beginning.
JF: Do you think the unfamiliarity is of consequence in your work?
HK: A bit, but not much.
JF: Recently the documentation of your work was posted on many media outlets and websites, and I noticed a high number of clicks on it and a variety of comments. There are two sides to it, one is from within the industry, like heishehui.com and art.mofile, and the other from outside the art world. Some comments from the websites are quite unprofessional; what do you think of these criticisms?
HK: I consider it better than my expectations. But I am not saying that if everyone has a positive opinion it is good, but that everyone has their opinion and perspective, this is a good way of communication, even if someone is standing there furiously sputtering dirty words to express himself. That is his opinion, and it naturally would be different from the ideas from in the art world. The art world has a background of understanding what it is, but instead theirs are completely a reflection to work. I consider this a true opinion, an understanding, an instinct emotion in the eyes of ordinary viewers.
JF: People in the art world would comment and criticize your work as strictly according to routines, but they don’t treat your piece as a work on websites; would this hurt you?
HK: No.
JF: So you think it is good.
HK: Yes. I think that would be fine.
JF: So where does the saying come from that Huang Kui’s works has consummated a kind of temperament in the formation and completion.
KH: This can be a comment from one who knows my work. But I don’t think I have enough control over the temperament of my work. And I’m in a experimentation process. Maybe it is based on his understanding of my work as a bystander, and he has a clearer view of the tendency of my work. As for me, I am not quite clear of the temperament myself.
JF: From your prior work, do you think you have some continual blood in your thinking, and what do you think you want to reflect in your inner blood?
HK: The first thing I want to express is that I am creating in a very natural way, rather than planning some frame ahead. Because I don’t want to be intervened by these frame things, I focus on some disperse thinking. Maybe I am an artist who is used to spotting style rather than linear ways of creating.
JF: This is getting too serious; let’s talk about something else. Nine artists were involved in the Interventions project and created different works on different sites of the city. What do you think about other artists’ work from your experience?
HK: It is special in the program that there are only a few performance artists in Shanghai and a majority of artists involved this time has no experience in performance art or haven’t been doing it very long. So there was something different with prior works in their forms. Every artist’s work has something in common with their prior work, but many differences in feelings, too, like the temperament of their work stayed the same, but in a different way. I thought most of the works have their highlights.
JF: Did the curator Biljana affect you much?
HK: I don’t think she intervened much after the basic theme was settled down, at least not as much as the city did.
