| I really like the Czech film director Jan Svankmajer. He once said in the making of one of his films, “Art is not swinging between different concepts. Artistic concepts can only rise from the artist’s mastering of the subject expressed, and only then, can the correct concept emerge. The birth of a concept is part of the creative process, not the drive of one’s creativity.” It is a very personal view, especially the second part of the statement, and my practice is summarized in his words. Concepts are not my creative intention, but they are preconceived in my mind, and then filmed. Then the artwork is completed. It’s like painting, and one’s inspiration does not just appear as one faces a blank piece of paper. |  |
Li Ming
I really like the Czech film director Jan Svankmajer. He once said in the making of one of his films, “Art is not swinging between different concepts. Artistic concepts can only rise from the artist’s mastering of the subject expressed, and only then, can the correct concept emerge. The birth of a concept is part of the creative process, not the drive of one’s creativity.” It is a very personal view, especially the second part of the statement, and my practice is summarized in his words. Concepts are not my creative intention, but they are preconceived in my mind, and then filmed. Then the artwork is completed. It’s like painting, and one’s inspiration does not just appear as one faces a blank piece of paper. In order to capture the feeling, one has to polish over and over. In the process of refinement I often sense minute mood changes, and I try to capture them, because I know they are momentary. Therefore, I am not rational. But it’s just my insignificant personal experience. I like to create spontaneously, and because the next second is unpredictable, it doesn’t have to be carefully managed. I don’t want to follow a comprehensive set of rules. I don’t create rules because they become obstacles when I want to participate in new games.
I enjoy doing videography, because it is close to painting but gives the artist more freedom when it comes to visual expression. The downside is the lack of the sense of touch. My inspiration stems largely from my environment. I focus on the details of quotidian living and then recreate them, offering a new perspective on these common forms and characters. Moreover, psycholagny is another form of joy; it can spur one’s imagination. The subversive imagination is an exit from reality, and this exit can set you free. Returning to Jan Svankmajer’s words, “Your work can only serve for freedom and nothing else.”
