Collaborations with Shinichiro/Miho Shimizu/Kyu Wha Han
By now, you would have guessed that I like collaborations eh? This set of performances happen during the stay of Miho's good friend, Shin-I-chiro. As Shinchiro was visiting London, there was an opportunity to work together and discuss our ideas, in our low-budget way... we had our own min-cultural exchange.
Wakarimasuka
Wakarimasuka, is a japanese word for "Do you understand?". This performance piece is about communication. Shinichiro couldn't speak English well and I couldn't speak Japanese. For this performance, we relied on our 'bible'(which is the English-Japanese dictionary) for our communciation. Dressed in workers uniform, we worked for art and attempt to communicate through language, actions and art. Funny thing is I always thought I totally understand what he was trying to say but after the performance, I realised I didn't get it at all! ( What a joke!)
The attempt to communicate is more important than the understanding. Mis-communication is better than no communication. Half-understanding is better than no understanding.
Wakarimasuka on Abbey Rd.
I remember during Shinichiro's stay, there was this opportunity where our 'linker', Ms. Miho wasn't with us. We went to the local pub for a drink. (she is the transalater and the link in our project).When we really needed effort to talk and break the language barrier. Beatles was one of the common topic. We both had the same favourite Beatle.(it is John Lennon). Initially, we decided to go to Liverpool to our performance as we can see the birthplace of Beatles but we ended up in Brighton because of time constraints. The least we could do was to visit the street where the Fab Four once walked across. In the performance, a momument was built for the Beatles...as the other passerbys watched on.......it was something significant to remember our collaboration by. We built a monument for our teenage heroes.
Wakarimasuka in Brighton.
We wanted to go to a place where nobody knew us and we knew nobody. Not that people knew us in London but it would be good idea to move an idea around. We went to Victoria Coach station that morning without knowing where we were going to go. It could have been Liverpool, the birthplace of Beatles, but like i said before of time contraints, Liverpool was too far. We then opted for Brighton.
Brighton
beach, Leaving the sculpture on the beach. (sculpture belongs to Gwenalle,
the american artist who was in the Danger museum 1998 collection in Singapore).
Special note to Gwenalle's friend who passes through this website, please
pass message to her for me:: "You love the beach Gwen...I love your
sculpture...so let's mix both of them up....let's leave this sculpture
for the people who love the beach to see the sculpture that I love."
completing
the 'unfinished works of art' on the street of Brighton.Kyu Wha Han and
Miho Shimizu document the event where we as workers for art...Here is a
picture of us completing the "Jasper Johns's" painting at the
side-walk.