brilliant ideas episode #15: xu bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. xu bing adds...
TRANSCRIPT
Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#15:�Xu�BingLinguistic�wizard�who�embodies�equality
The�modern�society�has�changed�beyond�recognition.�Still,�we�are�speaking
and�writing�in�the�same�languages�as�we�have�been�before.�Xu�Bing,�an
installation�artist�from�China,�questions�this�state�of�language�use�with�a�view
His�language�is�filled�with�meaninglessness�that�cannot�be�understood�by
anyone,�while�also�being�comprehendible�to�everyone.�He�ultimately
embodies�linguistic�equality�that�everyone�can�enjoy,�by�using�two
contrasting�aspects�of�writing.�The�Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#15�powered�by
Presenting�characters�for�the�21st�century
that�the�old�languages�are�no�longer�suitable�for�the�new�era.�The�artist
proposes�a�solution�by�creating�a�new�language.
Bloomberg�and�Hyundai�Motor�features�Xu�Bing,�who�leaps�beyond�the
limitations�of�characters�and�barriers�of�communication,�and�brings�the�new
wave�of�modern�character�art.
Book�from�the�Sky,�a�large�installation�art�piece�by�Xu�Bing�that�takes�up�the
whole�exhibition�hall,�is�jammed�with�thousands�of�characters.�When�those
who�are�curious�about�the�content�of�the�text�approach�the�artwork,�two
entirely�different�situations�happen.�To�the�visitors�from�the�countries�outside
the�Chinese�cultural�sphere,�the�characters�in�the�artwork�have�nothing
peculiar.�In�their�eyes,�the�characters�look�like�any�other�Chinese�characters.
Chinese�visitors,�however,�are�extremely�confused,�since�they�cannot�read�a
single�character.�Frustrating�that�they�cannot�read�their�own�language,�the
viewers�experience�feelings�of�being�illiterate.�Some�Chinese�visitors�actually
lost�their�temper�with�the�unreadable�characters.��
The�characters�in�the�Book�from�the�Sky�are�a�complete�new�kind�of
characters,�created�by�depicting�the�Roman�alphabets�with�the�Chinese
pictograms.�The�artist�made�4,000�wood�types�to�print�the�counterfeit
characters,�and�hung�the�book�he�published�all�over�the�exhibition�hall�like�a
scroll,�as�if�the�characters�were�sent�from�the�sky.�The�main�function�of�a�set
of�characters�is�to�deliver�the�meaning�represented�by�the�characters.�The
characters�created�by�Xu�Bing,�however,�are�not�even�readable.�It�is
impossible�from�the�start�to�grasp�the�meaning�of�them.�By�getting�rid�of�the
most�important�function�from�a�set�of�characters,�the�artist�brings�out�a
problem�in�the�communication�through�characters,�pointing�out�how�easily
the�meaning�can�be�manipulated.
Two�sides�of�characters
Furthermore,�the�writing�(or�non-writing)�in�his�characters�reflects�his�critical
view�to�the�situation�today�where�the�languages�are�overused.��
While�Book�from�the�Sky�is�a�book�that�no�one�can�read,�Book�from�the
Ground,�Xu�Bing’s�other�work�which�started�from�2003,�is�based�on�a
contrasting�concept.�The�artist�collected�lingua�franca�signs�for�travellers�and
advertisement�that�could�be�found�in�airports�and�public�places�from�all
around�the�world.�These�signs�consist�of�simple�images�that�aim�to�deliver
plain�messages,�which�can�be�easily�understood�by�the�people�living�in
today’s�society.�The�artist�combines�these�familiar�signs�into�new�units�and
composes�a�story�to�create�a�book�that�can�be�read�by�everyone.�Adding�to
another�language�he�created,�Xu�Bing�says�that�whether�the�book�is
construable�does�not�depend�on�what�language�one�uses�or�on�whether�one
is�illiterate,�but�on�how�deeply�one�is�related�to�the�contemporary�life.�In
order�to�pass�the�limit�that�a�set�of�characters�is�readable�only�in�the
corresponding�cultural�sphere,�he�creates�unreadable�characters�or�presents
the�third�characters.
The�Tiananmen�Square�uprising�of�1989�was�a�turning�point�of�for�Xu�Bing.
Having�participated�in�the�protest�by�producing�a�large�poster�stating�that
the�people�is�on�the�students’�side,�the�artist�was�under�surveillance�and�he
eventually�chose�to�seek�asylum�in�the�U.S.�As�a�New�York-based�artist�since
then,�he�has�focused�on�his�cultural�identity�and�his�cultural�heritage.��
Ghost�Pounding�the�Walls,�the�first�unveiled�work�of�the�artist�since�he
defected�to�the�U.S.,�is�the�Great�Wall�consisted�of�Chinese�traditional
rubbings.�A�huge�installation�art�piece�to�match�the�size�of�the�Great�Wall,
Ghost�Pounding�the�Walls,�is�based�on�his�contemplation�on�the�identity�of
Chinese�culture.�The�Great�Wall�is�a�heritage�that�represents�physical�efforts
and�time�spent�by�the�Chinese�for�the�last�2,000�years,�and�is�a�source�of
pride�for�the�Chinese�as�it�is�understood�as�a�symbol�of�the�country’s�national
power.�Though�producing�rubbings�of�the�Chinese�masterpiece�may�seem�to
Art�exists�where�problems�lie
praise�the�greatness�of�the�Great�Wall,�Xu�Bing�made�the�rubbings�to�prove
the�meaninglessness.
The�rough-looking�rubbings�of�the�Great�Wall�are�far�from�the�elegance�of�the
actual�Great�Wall.�By�pointlessly�making�these�rough�rubbings�again�and
again,�the�artist�expands�a�question�to�the�Great�Wall�and�questions�the
physical�efforts�of�human�beings.�He�proves�by�making�the�rubbings�that�all
the�results�of�one’s�endless�effort�is�meaningless�compared�to�the�actual�wall
built�by�one’s�ancestors.�Xu�Bing�adds�criticism�towards�the�present�Chinese
political�status,�by�saying�he�has�seen�“a�kind�of�thinking�that�makes�no�sense
and�is�very�conservative,�a�really�closed-in�thinking�that�symbolizes�the
isolation�of�Chinese�politics.”�
Born�and�raised�in�China,�having�received�Chinese�education,�and�having
experienced�the�Cultural�Revolution,�Xu�Bing,�a�first-generation�Chinese
artist,�depends�naturally�on�his�inner�Chineseness�in�his�art�making.�Though
he�has�been�living�in�the�U.S.,�it�is�hard�to�find�the�trace�of�American�culture
from�his�works.�Often�making�remarks�about�his�little�interest�in�the�modern
arts,�for�Xu�Bing,�the�Chinese�traditions�and�social�issues�in�China�are
important�for�him�as�an�artist.�■�with�ARTINPOST
<Holding�the�Brush>�1996handscroll,�woodblock�print,�The�Carolyn�Hsu�&�Rene�Balcer�Collection�ⓒ�Xu�Bing,�Photo�courtesy�Xu�Bing�Studio
Xu�Bing�was�born�in�1955,�in�China.�Currently�living�in�Beijing,�he�is�working�as
an�installation�artist�and�a�calligrapher.�He�graduated�from�the�Central
Academy�of�Fine�Arts�and�used�to�serve�as�the�Vice�President�at�the
academy.��
Xu�Bing�moved�to�the�United�States�in�1990�due�to�the�pressure�and
restrictions�of�the�post-Tiananmen�period�in�China.�Since�then,�he�began
focusing�on�communications�through�text.�He�is�most�known�for�use�of
language,�words,�and�text�and�how�they�have�affected�people’s
understanding�of�the�world.�His�artwork�using�the�Alphabet�which�resembles
Chinese�characters,�<New�English�Calligraphy>,�brought�him�international
recognition�and�another�work�where�he�collected�dusts�from�Ground�Zero
after�the�911,�called�<Where�the�dust�itself�collect?>�got�great�attention�from
the�public�and�art�professionals.�<Book�from�the�Sky>,�the�books�which
consist�of�the�fake�words�he�created�himself,�is�also�well�known�for�its
enormous�scale.�
Recently,�he�has�published�a�book�titled�『Book�from�the�Ground』�that�is�only
produced�with�symbols�and�signs.�Xu�Bing�is�an�artist�working�internationally
covering�both�traditional�and�contemporary�art.
Profile
Xu�Bing�at�New�York�2010�Courtesy�of�Xu�Bing�Studio