[spectre] Subversive in China - Mainstream in Adelaide Press Release

[marc garrett]

Hi Andreas,

 >i find this polemic a bit cheap, given that one of these people
 >has already commented extensively and explained his
 >organisation's motivation for participating in the show.

I am not sure if this directed to me, but - I have no personal issue 
with James participating in the show. Although, you may find my 
conversation 'cheap' or perhaps less durable within such an academic 
framework, because my language is possibly less formulated due to not 
coming from a university background, and also being working class (self 
educated I'm afraid) - this can make things a little sticky. Of course, 
you would not of known this, but it does highlight some of the other 
issues regarding peer (communication) contexts and the inflexible nature 
of media art dialogue, in the more complex sense. So, I apologise now 
for this immediately...

 >again, while i share the critical attitude towards the celebratory
 >projects which people participate in in china (and elsewhere, for
 >that matter), i find it wrong to slag these people off as
 >success-hungry opportunists. i also find a certain lack of self-critical
 >reflection on the ideological position that people slide into by doing
 >these projects, but then i see a similar slackness on the part of the
 >'real critics' who are so sure about their own clean-vest-criticality
 >and bathe in the light reflecting off from those who were thrown
 >into a chinese prison for voicing their opinion about tibet in public.

Of course, this is an excellent point. Again, I am really not that sure 
whether you are discussing with me in this text. Especially when I agree 
with what you are saying here.

 >i believe that it is necessary to find ways of working with artists,
 >intellectuals, independent and critical people in china. for me,
 >the question is whether it is legitimate to go to a country like
 >china, knowing that you do not want to take the risk of being
 >thrown into prison, either for yourself, or for your chinese
 >partners. i think that this is a question which people must
 >answer for themselves. and i think that it is silly to assume
 >that all of those artists and curators who have been involved
 >in this and other projects in china have not thought about the
 >implications critically, before deciding to go. - take, for instance,
 >this thoughtful piece by brian holmes:

Still, it would be great to know what the organisations themselves think 
about all this, especially when they have first hand knowledge which can 
elighten and inform others regarding the finer contexts of their 
cultural experiences on the matter. Perhaps, their involvement is more 
honourable or critically thought out than originally alluded, whether 
this is worth pointing out or not - may not necessarily be a helpful 
juncture or starting point. But considerations that support the 
engagement of thinking around the ethical predicaments surely need to be 
explored further in an open forum. A discussion can happen that allows 
myths and confusion to be blown away, where dialogue is potentially 
fruitful in its own right - wouldn't this be good?

In the meantime, I should read these links - thank you for these :-)

http://brianholmes.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/one-world-one-dream/
http://www.gdmoa.org/zhanlan/threeyear/4/24/1/

wishing all well (honest).

marc





 >  > Yes,  this is all  rather troubling.  Although, correct  me if  I am
 >>  wrong - didn't  Eyebeam write a statement in  support for James when
 >  > all this stuff kicked off?

it was a statement from ANAT in australia:
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:53:14 +0930
Subject: [spectre] Subversive in China - Mainstream in Adelaide Press 
Release


 >  > It would be interesting to  know why such organisations thought it a
 >>  good idea  to be a  part of  this the show.  The Olympics is  such a
 >>  slack,   hegemonic    and   over-culturalized   form    of   eugenic
 >>  indoctrination,  worldwide.
 >
 > eheh, i place  my bet that they will just ignore  the question.

i find this polemic a bit cheap, given that one of these people has 
already commented extensively and explained his organisation's 
motivation for participating in the show.

From: Alex Adriaansens <alex at v2.nl>
Subject: Re: [spectre] media art and dictatorial regimes
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:18:17 +0200


 >  > Perhaps, what we are witnessing  is a shift from supposed 'critical'
 >>  'intelligent' media art  organisations, becoming more traditional in
 >>  their  approaches and  outlooks, such  as is  the norm  in  fine art
 >>  fields.  So  much lip service  and not enough real  challenge. Where
 >>  are the socially informed risks here?
 >
 > i second your sensation very much.   is it like when people slide into
 > comfort?  loosing interest in criticism when not needed anymore?
 >
 > but it isn't  just about age time and change, i  believe there is also
 > quite some "top-down" manipulation going on.
(...)
 > there are  multiple dynamics that  converge in the same  phenomenon we
 > are  talking   about,  which   i  believe  is   not  just   plain  old
 > "institutionalisation",  but also a  widespread tendency  to represent
 > success,  optimism,  beautiful figures  rather  than  a  meshy mob  of
 > different voices.

again, while i share the critical attitude towards the celebratory 
projects which people participate in in china (and elsewhere, for that 
matter), i find it wrong to slag these people off as success-hungry 
opportunists. i also find a certain lack of self-critical reflection on 
the ideological position that people slide into by doing these projects, 
but then i see a similar slackness on the part of the 'real critics' who 
are so sure about their own clean-vest-criticality and bathe in the 
light reflecting off from those who were thrown into a chinese prison 
for voicing their opinion about tibet in public.

i see the paradox of showing a work like Knowbotic Research's 'Naked 
Bandit' - an installation that deals with the dilemma of power, 
submission, and excape - http://www.krcf.org/krcfhome/Banditweb
http://www.mediartchina.org/hte/balloon
http://www.krcf.org
which in beijing was turned into some sort of a balloon playground by 
the audience. who will read the crossed-out code as a critical gesture 
towards chinese censorship and the limitation of the freedom of speech? 
but would it be better _not_ to show such a work in beijing shortly 
before the biennial (the show we are talking about closed over a month 
before the start of the olympic games)?

i believe that it is necessary to find ways of working with artists, 
intellectuals, independent and critical people in china. for me, the 
question is whether it is legitimate to go to a country like china, 
knowing that you do not want to take the risk of being thrown into 
prison, either for yourself, or for your chinese partners. i think that 
this is a question which people must answer for themselves. and i think 
that it is silly to assume that all of those artists and curators who 
have been involved in this and other projects in china have not thought 
about the implications critically, before deciding to go. - take, for 
instance, this thoughtful piece by brian holmes:

http://brianholmes.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/one-world-one-dream/

or the ambitious attempt that sarat maharaj and his colleagues are 
making with the guangzhou biennial:
http://www.gdmoa.org/zhanlan/threeyear/4/24/1/

regards,
-a

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