More about Aftershock

Well, as the requirement of a friend, I'd like to write even a bit more in English about the exhibition Aftershock, and more pictures of the works I like. If you are interested in any of them, please ask google for more details. I think enough keywords are given here ;) By the way, it seems that I still can't accept art forms which are more modern, since all the works I like are photograph or video. Well, it's not my fault, is it? :p


1.Gillian Wearing, Sixty Minute Slience, 1996


The artist makes a group of cops sitting in front of the camera as if they are goint to take a group picture for 60 minutes. In the video, we can see how they cann't bear any more to hold still. Actually I only watched it for 10 seconds, because I don't want to be involved in it. According to my understanding, for this work, how the spectator becomes unpatient during watching is also a part of the work.

2.Gillian Wearing, Signs that Say What You Want Them To Say and Not Signs that Say What Someone Else Wants You To Say, 1992


This work consists of a series of pictures. Only two pictures are shown in Beijing Capital Museum this time, and I pick the one I like more here. I like it because of the light, and the words written: "Everything is connected in life. The point is to know it and to understand it." A friend always tells me that "There is no coincidence in the world." I think he will also like this picture, hehe.

3.Tracey Emin, Monument Valley, 1995


I don't like her grandmother's chair, but I like her idea of sitting on her grandmother's chair in a vast valley, reading her diary which records her past. Her other works about her bed and tent are also quite interesting. It's a pity that they show a cleaned version of her "My Bed" this time. Hey, that's much less interesting!

4.Sam Taylor-Wood, Ascension, 2003


The body lying on the ground, dead; the soul is dancing over the dead body, following the hope of brightness indicated by the white pigeon. Its meaning seems clear to me, an excellent work shown the moment right after death, or, to be more specific, between life and death.

5.Mark Wallinger, Threshold to the Kingdom, 2000


Aha, another very interesting one, but maybe a bit difficult to understand for European countryt citizens. A video played in a very slow speed, with the Messiah as background music. As the artist said, "kingdom" referred to both heaven and the UK. He chose the international arrive gate of an airport as the object, which is both the gate between sky and ground and the gate between UK and other countries. Believe me, it's not easier to come to UK than to come to heaven for some people. Eh, you just can't imagine how troublesome it is to apply for a visa, pfff.