Between the past and future, a project required by Christian Ganzenberg for Gallery Weekend Berlin 2020

I have had curated 2 projects in Pingshan Art Museum, Shenzhen and Suzhou Museum, Suzhou. Both started from the end of 2019 till February and March 2020. Then I have booked 2 trips from Europe to Shenzhen and Hongkong, on February 1st and March 15th, one for a symposium in Shenzhen, the other is for the Art Basel in Hongkong. I was in the motivated mode of prepared for 2020, while I am in Zurich and Berlin, future at that time would be a straight path toward the end of my sight.

Life is full of miracles and surprises. During the lockdown in Hubei, I was in Berlin, get prepared for an UK visa, I was happy to got one for 10 years, got my air tickets ready for March, but then very soon Germany, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Japan all effected by then. That was the darkest time for Asian people in Berlin, because people believed because of Asian people Covid-19 is spreading worldwide, and some Asians been attacked by people randomly. It’s one the globalization issues, you can event trace it back into the 12th or 16th century, I am not sure where the virus came from, but when the disaster starts, fear, hate might lead people into violence. Where the history and future crossed, but what’s the difference?

it was a gathering with friends, people might think we are not critical enough, but till these days, if you link the Black Lives Matter movement, and what would be the connections for minority people living else where, or human history of colonial time, it might consider to be a standout gesture between the past and future. At least it’s a discussion lead to understanding and a sincere dialogue, try to quietly listen to the other’s stories…

The protest might refer to many questions after the WW2, a recall of what have been there left open, but always need to re-think, re-discuss, what is now?

I am like a clock, precisely moving forward with a clear direction and vision, by then in February and March, several projects in China have been postponed or canceled. Pingshan Art Museum and Suzhou Museum have to close during the lockdown, my curated exhibition have to close and extend as well. Time became a interesting measurement according to the public issues, virus have changed my projects but not very much on my routine. Until the lockdown in Germany, Switzerland and many other countries.

Daniel asked me to write on his coming publication, I have visited him in the studio, the store room, we drove far out of Berlin.

Learn carpentry became another physical technic that I do during the lockdown. This is the first art work I have made, use standard industrial form and material, I have just drilled one hole one the bigger one, push the small piece of wood through, it’s not perfectly done, but to put it against the wall, it some how can stays quietly there, and visually it compensate the mistake I have made.

Till I made this bench, I decided to stop the carpentry project. But visiting OBI, Bauhaus became another daily routine in my life.

I live in the Turkish neighborhood Wedding, I saw a woman from my balcony, she finally put all the fruit and the sign You Will Flower, Too.

Synchronicity 3D version >>>

June 3rd, 2020

Thanks to Siegfried Zielinski and Albert Weis answer to this question, time is a dimension, a history, an emotional feeling, a long journey, a short encounter, think time in between us, just you and me. {more}

Thanks to Leeza Ahmady, Barbara Pollack and Anne Verhallen.

Between the past and the future is a title of a book from Hannah Arendt, the 1st half year of 2020, is the moment of the past and future, which I am more engaged in writing for professional friends like He Jianping, Thomas Eller, Tim Li, which I can reflect on the good old time in the 80s, 90s and now, I also write for artists like Zeng Zhe, Daniel Knorr, Chen Wenling, to imagine on their history locally and globally, also try to put their work in a shifting culture context for now. As I wrote in one text for Tim Li, we shall be able to imagine a better future, and we should not lost the imagination for better things.

The Queen said: “we will meet again.“

I have done my online work for talks, interviews, and Yes, I wish to see you soon, hope this moment gives enough pause, strength and energy, possibly willing of creation, we might gather in a different way, online or offline, but I prefer offline, because I want to sit next to you, to prove we are not just an image online, not a robot or AI, we are next to each other as human. I hope I can listen to your story, which carry us into the time of now.

• Thank you Christian Ganzenberg for asking me to participate in the project, and I have to invent a format to tell a true story during the Covid-19 pandemic time.