China-UK collaboration
Following a previous collaboration resulting in the 'Local Whispers' installation at the V&A, this subsequent project was developed in London and Beijing with Ruan Qianrui. 'Rabbit Sequence' was first shown at Platform China Institute of Contemporary Arts in Beijing in June 2011.
Persons were chosen at random and recordings made. Persons were asked their name, date of birth and where they were born, then asked what they believe to be their fortune for the rest of the year of the rabbit. They were then photographed.
The faces of the interviewed persons are transposed onto hand made traditional clay rabbit ornaments. Named 'Grandfather Rabbit' by the Chinese, the human body with rabbit head ride a tiger, (the animal of the previous year). The sequence totals twenty painted clay rabbits all with their own voice played from individual audio players hidden within the rabbits. Nine persons
who became presented as ornaments were born in the year of the rabbit and sit atop a yellow tiger. Eleven persons were born in different years and sit atop a black tiger.
The resulting installation is a series of small faces presenting their hopes and fears. Different rabbits speak
at different times. One moment may be silent, the next may be full of chatter from different directions. Always changing, this generative sound installation seems to cut, mix and splice some very personal interviews in the surrounding space.
Following the 'Half Rabbit' exhibition in Beijing 2011, 'Rabbit Sequence' will be shown in the UK, London in February 2012.
Special thanks to the British Council China-UK Connections for supporting the development of this project.
Video/sound examples of 'Rabbit Sequence' from the Beijing exhibition will be added to this page shortly.
