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RESEARCH:

Qiu Zhijie

Writing the "Orchid Pavilion Preface" One Thousand Times, 1990–97

Five chromogenic prints

Each: 48.9 × 73.7 cm

Chinese artist Zhijie's work Writing the "Orchid Pavilion Preface" One Thousand Times (1990–97) process is as vital to the piece as the completed work. Zhijie continuously re-writes the 353 AD "Orchid Pavillion Preface" text in a contemporary context over a period of seven years (Tewksbury, 2009). Catapulting this ancient text into the 21st century was a catalyst to my use of the ancient Japanese writing 'Kanji' as seen in my first work.

Zhijie has instigated thoughts around old methods like calligraphy as he demonstrates the use of an ancient medium and language in a contemporary context, cementing my use of porcelain and Kanji in my current bodies of work. Despite Zhijie being of Chinese descent and me of Anglo/ Japanese, there is a similarity in the uses of our culture's language. However, Zhijies work is inspired by an ancient text well known within China, whereas my work is a focus on more personal interactions regarding my biracial experience in Australia. 

The evident repetition in Zhije's work as he continuously copies the text onto the same piece of paper over seven years is similar to my last work as it visually repeats text, although less intensely and in a shorter period (Hopfener, 2014). Mainly the repeated action of writing the Chinese characters is similar to my continuous recreation of the same few Kanji in, You don't pronounce my name that way. Both works point to identity using parts of our cultures as a catalyst for our works. Zhije has allowed me to consider the use of tradition, traditional knowledge, cultural history, as well as forging the old and new as I continue to explore conceptual art discussing cultural identity.

References:

Tewksbury, N. T. (2009). Sinographics: Becoming Chinese art (Order No. 3385416). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (pp.90-97) (304891411). Retrieved from https://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/304891411?accountid=13380

Hopfener, B. (2014). Qiu zhijie's self-conception as an artist - doing art in a critical historical and transcultural perspective. Journal of Art Historiography, (10), (pp.1-4). Retrieved from https://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1545685887?accountid=13380

Image source:

MET. Qiu Zhijie. (1990–97). Writing the "Orchid Pavilion Preface" One Thousand Times [Image]. Retrieved April 2020, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/77606.

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 REFLECTION:

Over the past week, I have been making a work in porcelain of the Kanji ‘三上’ representative of my surname ‘Mikami’ in Japanese. I have made the characters in a variety of sizes, and thickness. In doing this I am experimenting with the translucency that porcelain can usually have when rolled very thin. I have learnt how much more brittle it is in comparison to others like paper clay and terracotta.

I have made smaller ceramic pieces in the past and am aiming to create a larger piece over a longer period of time (maybe a few weeks). and by working with a new medium of a longer period of time this will allow for multiple iterations of the piece, and any necessary refinements to be made in making and in installation. from learning how brittle the pieces are when thin, I may continue to make works the characters in a larger and thicker style, as the translucency of the work is not essential. 

After researching Zhang Chun Hong, I have found that there are things such as hair for her and my surname for me that hold a lot of gravity in how we see ourselves and our identity. The focus of both our works are identity and are conceptually shown through a mix of cultural ties and personal experience.  

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MAKING: First iteration

You don’t pronounce it that way (2020)

Porcelain

Variable dimensions.

This work is a larger piece that is in progress currently. It is an exploration of name mispronunciation and the significance of a seemingly minor thing. In my personal experience, the mispronunciation of my surname was not a big issue. But as I became more involved in my cultural history and past, I came to realise I was allowing people to be lazy in pronouncing “Mikami”. Living in Australia the accent causes it to commonly be said as, “Mee-Kaa-mee”, whereas it is supposed to be “Mi-Ka-Mi” in the Japanese pronunciation. 

Another small yet significant thing I have noticed from growing up as a mixed-race individual. It is not intentionally done by most but our names are apart of our identity and deserve respect. 

[wk2studiolm]

RESEARCH: 

Zhang Chun Hong 

Image 1. My Life Strands, Charcoal on paper scroll, 2009 Collection of the artist

Image 2. Cyclone, Charcoal on paper scroll, 2011 Collection of the artist

Image 3. Three Graces triptych (Bo, Ling, and Hong Zhang), Charcoal on three paper scrolls, 2009–11 Collection of the artist

Zhang Chun Hong is a Chinese-born artist who works with traditional mediums and contemporary ideas exploring identity. Hong references her self and identity, on large scrolls of detailed works of her long, straight, black hair (Asia Society.org, 2011). Hair is so intertwined with women's identity and particularly in Eastern culture where having long hair is associated with, "life force, sexual energy, growth, and beauty" things with relatively positive connotations (Asia Society.org, 2011). The traditional beliefs surrounding hair continue to dictate the way Hong views herself and others, and it is fascinating how traditions can hold such power over us even in modern society(Asia Society.org, 2011). 

 Japan known as a country for its technological developments is also as well known for its deep traditions embedded through even day to day rituals. The two forces of modernity and tradition come to a head constantly in Japan, and I feel as though through my practice I use traditional mediums to explore contemporary concepts. In using clay and ink, materials that have been used for centuries are materials which continue to be moulded to explore contemporary ideas and notions. Like Hong societal Chinese cultural ideals have dictated to her that having long black straight hair as having associations with certain abilities. For myself, my upbringing has shaped my ideas about my own multiculturalism, heritage, and race strongly diminishing the Japanese side of my identity. Hair can so easily be intertwined with our identity, and Hong uses the hair to show the twist and turns throughout life in multiple scrolls and like this, my works are visualisations of the changes and mental reconstruction of how I perceive my identity.

Reference:

Asia Society.org. (2011). Zhang Chun Hong. [online] Available at: https://asiasociety.org/texas/zhang-chun-hong [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].

Images all sourced from:

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian (2011). Zhang Chun Hong, Portraits. [image] Available at: https://npg.si.edu/exhibit/encounter/hong.html [Accessed 2 Mar. 2020].