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Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing Linguistic wizard who embodies equality

Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

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Page 1: Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#15:�Xu�BingLinguistic�wizard�who�embodies�equality

Page 2: Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

The�modern�society�has�changed�beyond�recognition.�Still,�we�are�speaking

and�writing�in�the�same�languages�as�we�have�been�before.�Xu�Bing,�an

installation�artist�from�China,�questions�this�state�of�language�use�with�a�view

His�language�is�filled�with�meaninglessness�that�cannot�be�understood�by

anyone,�while�also�being�comprehendible�to�everyone.�He�ultimately

embodies�linguistic�equality�that�everyone�can�enjoy,�by�using�two

contrasting�aspects�of�writing.�The�Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#15�powered�by

Presenting�characters�for�the�21st�century

Page 3: Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

that�the�old�languages�are�no�longer�suitable�for�the�new�era.�The�artist

proposes�a�solution�by�creating�a�new�language.

Bloomberg�and�Hyundai�Motor�features�Xu�Bing,�who�leaps�beyond�the

limitations�of�characters�and�barriers�of�communication,�and�brings�the�new

wave�of�modern�character�art.

Book�from�the�Sky,�a�large�installation�art�piece�by�Xu�Bing�that�takes�up�the

whole�exhibition�hall,�is�jammed�with�thousands�of�characters.�When�those

who�are�curious�about�the�content�of�the�text�approach�the�artwork,�two

entirely�different�situations�happen.�To�the�visitors�from�the�countries�outside

the�Chinese�cultural�sphere,�the�characters�in�the�artwork�have�nothing

peculiar.�In�their�eyes,�the�characters�look�like�any�other�Chinese�characters.

Chinese�visitors,�however,�are�extremely�confused,�since�they�cannot�read�a

single�character.�Frustrating�that�they�cannot�read�their�own�language,�the

viewers�experience�feelings�of�being�illiterate.�Some�Chinese�visitors�actually

lost�their�temper�with�the�unreadable�characters.��

The�characters�in�the�Book�from�the�Sky�are�a�complete�new�kind�of

characters,�created�by�depicting�the�Roman�alphabets�with�the�Chinese

pictograms.�The�artist�made�4,000�wood�types�to�print�the�counterfeit

characters,�and�hung�the�book�he�published�all�over�the�exhibition�hall�like�a

scroll,�as�if�the�characters�were�sent�from�the�sky.�The�main�function�of�a�set

of�characters�is�to�deliver�the�meaning�represented�by�the�characters.�The

characters�created�by�Xu�Bing,�however,�are�not�even�readable.�It�is

impossible�from�the�start�to�grasp�the�meaning�of�them.�By�getting�rid�of�the

most�important�function�from�a�set�of�characters,�the�artist�brings�out�a

problem�in�the�communication�through�characters,�pointing�out�how�easily

the�meaning�can�be�manipulated.

Two�sides�of�characters

Page 4: Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

Furthermore,�the�writing�(or�non-writing)�in�his�characters�reflects�his�critical

view�to�the�situation�today�where�the�languages�are�overused.��

While�Book�from�the�Sky�is�a�book�that�no�one�can�read,�Book�from�the

Ground,�Xu�Bing’s�other�work�which�started�from�2003,�is�based�on�a

contrasting�concept.�The�artist�collected�lingua�franca�signs�for�travellers�and

advertisement�that�could�be�found�in�airports�and�public�places�from�all

around�the�world.�These�signs�consist�of�simple�images�that�aim�to�deliver

plain�messages,�which�can�be�easily�understood�by�the�people�living�in

today’s�society.�The�artist�combines�these�familiar�signs�into�new�units�and

composes�a�story�to�create�a�book�that�can�be�read�by�everyone.�Adding�to

another�language�he�created,�Xu�Bing�says�that�whether�the�book�is

construable�does�not�depend�on�what�language�one�uses�or�on�whether�one

is�illiterate,�but�on�how�deeply�one�is�related�to�the�contemporary�life.�In

order�to�pass�the�limit�that�a�set�of�characters�is�readable�only�in�the

corresponding�cultural�sphere,�he�creates�unreadable�characters�or�presents

the�third�characters.

The�Tiananmen�Square�uprising�of�1989�was�a�turning�point�of�for�Xu�Bing.

Having�participated�in�the�protest�by�producing�a�large�poster�stating�that

the�people�is�on�the�students’�side,�the�artist�was�under�surveillance�and�he

eventually�chose�to�seek�asylum�in�the�U.S.�As�a�New�York-based�artist�since

then,�he�has�focused�on�his�cultural�identity�and�his�cultural�heritage.��

Ghost�Pounding�the�Walls,�the�first�unveiled�work�of�the�artist�since�he

defected�to�the�U.S.,�is�the�Great�Wall�consisted�of�Chinese�traditional

rubbings.�A�huge�installation�art�piece�to�match�the�size�of�the�Great�Wall,

Ghost�Pounding�the�Walls,�is�based�on�his�contemplation�on�the�identity�of

Chinese�culture.�The�Great�Wall�is�a�heritage�that�represents�physical�efforts

and�time�spent�by�the�Chinese�for�the�last�2,000�years,�and�is�a�source�of

pride�for�the�Chinese�as�it�is�understood�as�a�symbol�of�the�country’s�national

power.�Though�producing�rubbings�of�the�Chinese�masterpiece�may�seem�to

Art�exists�where�problems�lie

Page 5: Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

praise�the�greatness�of�the�Great�Wall,�Xu�Bing�made�the�rubbings�to�prove

the�meaninglessness.

The�rough-looking�rubbings�of�the�Great�Wall�are�far�from�the�elegance�of�the

actual�Great�Wall.�By�pointlessly�making�these�rough�rubbings�again�and

again,�the�artist�expands�a�question�to�the�Great�Wall�and�questions�the

physical�efforts�of�human�beings.�He�proves�by�making�the�rubbings�that�all

the�results�of�one’s�endless�effort�is�meaningless�compared�to�the�actual�wall

built�by�one’s�ancestors.�Xu�Bing�adds�criticism�towards�the�present�Chinese

political�status,�by�saying�he�has�seen�“a�kind�of�thinking�that�makes�no�sense

and�is�very�conservative,�a�really�closed-in�thinking�that�symbolizes�the

isolation�of�Chinese�politics.”�

Born�and�raised�in�China,�having�received�Chinese�education,�and�having

experienced�the�Cultural�Revolution,�Xu�Bing,�a�first-generation�Chinese

artist,�depends�naturally�on�his�inner�Chineseness�in�his�art�making.�Though

he�has�been�living�in�the�U.S.,�it�is�hard�to�find�the�trace�of�American�culture

from�his�works.�Often�making�remarks�about�his�little�interest�in�the�modern

arts,�for�Xu�Bing,�the�Chinese�traditions�and�social�issues�in�China�are

important�for�him�as�an�artist.�■�with�ARTINPOST

Page 6: Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

<Holding�the�Brush>�1996handscroll,�woodblock�print,�The�Carolyn�Hsu�&�Rene�Balcer�Collection�ⓒ�Xu�Bing,�Photo�courtesy�Xu�Bing�Studio

Page 7: Brilliant Ideas Episode #15: Xu Bing - hyundai.com · built by one’s ancestors. Xu Bing adds criticism towards the present Chinese ... on his inner Chineseness in his art making

Xu�Bing�was�born�in�1955,�in�China.�Currently�living�in�Beijing,�he�is�working�as

an�installation�artist�and�a�calligrapher.�He�graduated�from�the�Central

Academy�of�Fine�Arts�and�used�to�serve�as�the�Vice�President�at�the

academy.��

Xu�Bing�moved�to�the�United�States�in�1990�due�to�the�pressure�and

restrictions�of�the�post-Tiananmen�period�in�China.�Since�then,�he�began

focusing�on�communications�through�text.�He�is�most�known�for�use�of

language,�words,�and�text�and�how�they�have�affected�people’s

understanding�of�the�world.�His�artwork�using�the�Alphabet�which�resembles

Chinese�characters,�<New�English�Calligraphy>,�brought�him�international

recognition�and�another�work�where�he�collected�dusts�from�Ground�Zero

after�the�911,�called�<Where�the�dust�itself�collect?>�got�great�attention�from

the�public�and�art�professionals.�<Book�from�the�Sky>,�the�books�which

consist�of�the�fake�words�he�created�himself,�is�also�well�known�for�its

enormous�scale.�

Recently,�he�has�published�a�book�titled�『Book�from�the�Ground』�that�is�only

produced�with�symbols�and�signs.�Xu�Bing�is�an�artist�working�internationally

covering�both�traditional�and�contemporary�art.

Profile

Xu�Bing�at�New�York�2010�Courtesy�of�Xu�Bing�Studio