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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
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Authors
Date
2013
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Degree Programme in Photography
Valokuvataiteen koulutusohjelma
Valokuvataiteen koulutusohjelma
Language
en
Pages
133
Series
Abstract
In Chapter 1 - Beauty of Pain, I discuss references, including Chinese philosophy, literature, myth and the reflection of social issues, to present the highly complex intertwining background of foot-binding. In Chapter 2- ‘Chan’ Project, I display notions of different western philosophers and artists, in order to further discuss my artistic practice and research method. I will combine my art proceeding with each subheadings in the following sections to demonstrate my thoughts and practice. Foot-binding was unique to females of late imperial China. However, the concept and practice of enduring violence and pain, mutilation and self-mutilation in the name of beauty can be found in almost every culture and civilization, i.e. circumcision in Africa, the long-necked tribe of Thailand, the girdle in Europe etc. Therefore, developments regarding foot-binding may not simply be interpreted as Chinese women under repression waking up to revolt against patriarchal society. In other words, foot-binding requires a cross cultural and interdisciplinary perspective. An examination of the practice in the context of history, literature, linguistics, and psychoanalysis is crucial to comprehensive understanding of this cultural fetish. Although, despite the way in which this culture has influenced China for thousands of years, there are now few women alive who have had their feet bound. According to Wang Ping,in ‘1966, the year Mao Zedong launched the Culture Revolution to fight against the remaining powers of feudalism, capitalism, and revisionism in China’, everything changed. After the revolution the practice of foot-binding, which was seen as a symbol of feudal oppression of women for almost half century, began to be eliminated. Given change in the sociopolitical climate in China, the question arises: “What have we achieved from this custom of disappearance?” This is not only a critique of social political issues but also the notion of changing the national aesthetic norms, philosophy, morality, human belief, etc. My ‘Chan’ project plays on these Chinese elements. However its main purpose is to reduce the narrative from language - ‘linguistically silence’ , and shrink the distance between spectator and visual installations. In doing that I aim to break down representation at the structure base of the language (sign) itself. What we are is hidden inside language(sign), and maybe the true meaning of sings are inaccessible and indecipherable even to those who speak the language - a process of decoding and recoding. While most of my artwork is based on characteristics of Chinese culture, I am interested in the combination of both Asia and Western culture. I was born in 1987, after the Chinese political turmoil (cultural revolution), without war, people revolution, social upheaval. During the same year, Mr Deng Xiaoping advocated his comprehensive plans for recreating socialism with Chinese characteristics. Thereafter, China takes a step toward a new future, developing its economy encompasses the biggest policy decision of Chinese administration. Nowadays, people describe China as a rising and responsible global power. However, China is still a typical ‘communist’ country full of in- visible rules and control. There is no true freedom of speech or human rights. My work is based on the system of rules symbolized in Chinese elements, such as Chinese characters, oriental painting, calligraphy, etc. My project centers around control and rules. I think this notion has been a great part of my focus as an artist and is evident in almost every artwork that I have made. I often try to visualize the idea of something being controlled or something artificial, two concepts that both are based on my thought that there is an overwhelming distance (misunderstanding) between people. For this reason, I tend to question the basics as part of my research; research that has to do with finding a kind of material trace, an image or sound that can shrink the distance. I could call it a search for finding different forms of intimacy, but these words are used only as a means by which to conceal the search as a code. When using the Chinese element as a medium and questioning the characteristics of Chinese custom, I must embrace the non- narrative, because perhaps only then, could a difference be perceived, a thing learned, a kind of knowledge. Also be- cause the materiality of an interpretation (language) based medium might be destined to be parochial.Description
Supervisor
Salo, MerjaKeywords
1,Beauty of Pain-, From, Confucianism, Violence, 2,Materiality-, Sign, Deconstruction