Ten Thousand Li is a group
exhibition exploring Chinese experiences of living within
contemporary British culture. The title signifies a long
distance (Li is a Chinese measurement of distance approximately
1.6km) and conveys how far the Chinese diaspora in Britain has
travelled. The work of four artists - Dinu Li, Pamela So, Yuen-Yi Lo and Yeu-Lai
Mo illustrates the realities of cultural and social diversity in Britain today.
Dinu Li's photographic series, Secret Shadows, explores the provocative and highly
topical subject of illegal immigrants. Through the images, he glimpses into their
private living spaces and personal possessions in order to investigate a lifestyle
that is usually hidden from the wider community.
Dress Code, by Pamela So, enters the wardrobe of three different generations
of Chinese women using digitally manipulated photographic work to examine the
dilemmas of cultural heritage that face the Chinese diaspora in Scotland. Role
Play, consisting of postcardstacks, is an interactive piece that allows the audience
to participate in their own identity exchanges and the video, Chinese Chest,
portraying the hands of the grandmother folding and putting away her traditional
Chinese silk clothes, becomes an act of archiving and questions
why tradition
is being put away and what it is to be replaced by.
In her first major UK exhibition, Yuen-Yi Lo's work explores the social construction
of femininity, infused by the influences of the criss-crossed cultures and customs
in Hong Kong and prompted by her experiences of being in Britain. Working with
textual representations of the Chinese language and 'nusha' (a secret women's
script from Hunan, China), she produces intense graphite drawings and extends
them into mechanical prints, stills and video installation that explore and challenge
meanings within language.
Yeu-Lai Mo's artwork presents an acute observation
of growing up as a British Chinese and working in her parents' Chinese takeaway
in her adolescent years. Incorporating a large-scale, iconic photo-poster,
food sculptures and a sound piece, she makes autobiographical
and humorous references to issues within the Chinese community
and takeaway culture.
The exhibition is co-curated by Deborah Chan and Wing-Fai Leung and toured
by Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, produced in collaboration with Centre for Art
International Research, Liverpool John Moores University and supported by
the Arts Council
of England's National Touring Programme and North West Arts Board. |
