C6Life TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2009 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

People Beijing artist Xing Danwen Photos: Reuters explores personal alienation amid rapid urban development in her photographic works. Kennedy Centre honours arts legends Photo: David Wong

Luminaries from the worlds of music and film were fêted by US President Barack Obama and a black-tie audience of artists and political heavyweights at this year’s Kennedy Centre Honours. Actor Robert De Niro, rock songsmith Bruce Springsteen, comic writer/producer Mel Brooks, jazz pianist Dave Brubeck and opera star Grace Bumbry (first right with De Niro and Springsteen) were this year’s honorees at the annual Kennedy Schlossberg, Obama said here is much drama awards for lifetime achievement in the five were a living reminder that in Xing Danwen’s the performing arts. “the arts are not somehow apart photography series At a White House reception from our national life”. Urban Fiction – murder, attended by the political elite, “The arts are at the heart of our adultery and suicide – including Vice-President Joe Biden national life. These five remarkable Talthough none of it is immediately and former president John F. performers have helped us sustain apparent. The characters, who were Kennedy’s daughter Caroline and strengthen our nation.” Reuters digitally added onto the images, are so small they get lost in the vast concrete landscape. Details of each story become apparent only on close examination. Bowie’s son wins British film awards “I feel that the individual is small and weak in a city, a man-made As a child, he was called Zowie prizes at the British independent world, and everyone is anonymous,” Bowie. These days it’s the far more film awards. says Xing. “They build such complex sensible Duncan Jones, and on Forty years after the first Moon relationships with the city and Sunday he emerged triumphantly landing and 40 years after his dad, between [themselves].” from the very large shadow of David Bowie (left with Duncan), Urbanisation is a major his father when he picked up two released Space Oddity, Jones’ theme that runs through the retro sci-fi film Moon was named Beijing-based artist’s oeuvre. ARTS best picture at a ceremony in Urban Fiction is a commentary on central London while Jones how urban development is turning himself won best debut director, big mainland cities into The Guardian reported. characterless concrete jungles. His film stars Sam Rockwell as The series – and Duplication, the solitary caretaker of a helium-3 another that looks at the effects mining plant on the moon with his of modernisation – is on show at only companion, it seems, a talking Ooi Botos Gallery in an exhibition computer system called Gerty, titled “In a Perfect World …” voiced by Kevin Spacey. Xing has been interested in Model citizen urban subjects since her own living environment in Beijing underwent a drastic change in the mid-1990s. The city’s increasing affluence meant old Cohen sued over Bruno film libel buildings and courtyards were making way for big commercial and A Palestinian grocer and peace caption describes Abu Aita as residential developments. A photographic exhibition explores the everyday activist is suing British comedian “Terrorist group leader, Al Aqsa She began to wonder about the Sacha Baron Cohen for US$115 Martyrs Brigade”. impact of such changes on locals: million in libel damages over his In fact, the scene was filmed at a what is a better life for them? What dramas of big city isolation, writes Kevin Kwong depiction in the film Bruno. hotel in the West Bank in an area were their expectations? While living Ayman Abu Aita claims the film under Israeli control, next to an conditions in the courtyards were has ruined his life. Israeli army base. not ideal – it was common for In one of the scenes in Bruno, Abu Aita said he is an opponent several families to share a public developed needs for a better life. development where a drama is major museums, including the Cohen’s character claims he has of terrorists and was tricked into bathroom and kitchen – at least they Yet, what is left is isolation and being played out. To heighten the The individual is Whitney Museum of American Art travelled to the Ein El-Hilweh meeting Cohen, thinking he was a lived in close-knit communities. loneliness,” says Xing, who was authenticity of her work, Xing used and the International Centre for refugee camp in Lebanon to meet a German producing a film about the “So when they move away, they born in Xian. “Also because of maquettes, or miniature models, of small and weak in a Photography in New York and leader of the Al-Aqsa Brigades. A Palestinian cause. Agencies might not be able to meet their new technology, which has changed real developments that were being city, a man-made Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. neighbours whom they used to live the pace of the way we do things, built or had been completed in Xing says her fantasies are never with as a family,” says Xing. we have all accepted living alone Beijing as backgrounds. At the start, world … everyone is too far from reality. Urban Fiction A decade later Urban Fiction and far from one another. it was difficult to get the developers was her major work between 2004 offers answers to some of these “My interest in this urban to part with them. anonymous and 2006, but she decided not to Fans to bid fond farewell to Clancy questions. As the urban population experience comes from my own life “I thought about building my ...... conclude the project because she gets richer, more people can afford experience. These are changes that own, but I realised the meaning of it Xing Danwen still has many images she would like Irish music fans are expected to line the streets to bid farewell to folk great to move into high rises and more are affecting me … I tried to make would be different. It would be my to add. She also remains interested Liam Clancy, who died in hospital on Friday at the age of 74. are built. sense of what’s been happening.” own fantasy rather than the reality,” Xing is big on drama. She was in architecture. The County Tipperary-born performer was the last surviving member of Now, she says, people live in Created in 2004, Urban Fiction she says. “These miniatures are recently asked whether she enjoys She admits that the themes of the Clancy Brothers, dubbed as Ireland’s first pop stars, who were credited cubes that are squeezed together, offers playful narratives that flit representations of real building nature. “I like nature but I don’t feel urbanisation, modernisation and with bringing Irish traditional music to a world audience in the 1960s. separated only by thin walls. And between reality and fantasy. The projects. So that’s very interesting.” I could be stimulated or inspired globalisation comprise well-trodden International artists including Bob Dylan have acknowledged instead of leading to greater idea came after Xing returned from a These modern living spaces are artistically by it. Beautiful natural ground for mainland artists. But that their major influence on the music scene. closeness, this physical proximity trip to Europe, where urbanisation marketed as the ultimate dream for surroundings give me a feeling of is why exploring these issues Clancy (left), who had been suffering from a six-month- more often results in psychological was also in full force. city people, but “what happens after calm, but they don’t give me the continues to be challenging. long respiratory illness, was surrounded by his wife Kim and distance and loneliness. The artist decided to explore the they realise this dream? Are they energy to be creative. “Being an artist you have to be daughters Siobhan and Fiona when he died. He had “Beijing is now a lot more final stage of urbanisation through a happier or not?” says Xing. “So I answered, I like disasters. aware of how to create something spoken by telephone with his musician son Donal earlier in developed. We live in modern series of staged photographs. Each All the characters in the series I like disasters created by human original and new. There is so much the day while his other son Eban was returning home spaces and have, to some level, image features a property are of the artist herself. In one scene, beings and I think that tragedy talent in the world … It’s difficult to from Britain. she is a runaway bride, in another a inspires me to be innovative … I like be different, but it becomes a The funeral will be held in St Mary’s Church murderer. “I [could be] a white-collar the beauty of tragedy and I [want to] challenge,” says Xing. Dungarvan, close to Ring, County Waterford office worker brought to despair create my fiction based on my “The joy and fun is to create and where the singer had been living since the 80s. by job pressures and spiritual playful ideas.” find an original voice and contribute Press Association emptiness or a young girl who, in a Xing was initially trained something new to the artistic moment of unrestrained rage, killed as a painter – she graduated language. [Artists] should really her lover … these images represent from the Central Academy of struggle for that and it is not easy.” the state of urban life today.” Fine Arts in Beijing in 1992 – but The artist says her focus is Contact Us Features editor: Winnie Chung Assistant features editor: learned how to use a camera on human existence and behaviour Choong Tet Sieu Arts editor: Kevin Kwong [email protected] Books editor: Xing Danwen digitally adds images because she was fascinated by and pays attention to the smallest Stephen McCarty [email protected] Fashion editor: Divia Harilela of herself as a character affected by the medium of photography. details in life. “I’m interested in [email protected] Film editor: Clarence Tsui [email protected] Food & urbanisation to her photographs. After working as a things that may not be dramatic Wine editor: Susan Jung [email protected] Interiors editor: Charmaine Chan Photo: Johansen Krause photojournalist in the 1990s – an to others, but that I find dramatic. [email protected] Motoring editor: William Wadsworth [email protected] experience that she says made her An ordinary, common story Travel editor: Nicholas Walton [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected] more socially aware – Xing attended could become something the School of Visual Arts in New York ‘chewy or tasty’ that people on an Asian Cultural Council grant, living the same experience may graduating with a master’s degree in find resonance in.” fine arts in 2001...... Her works have challenged In a Perfect World … until Feb 27. Ooi traditional concepts of Chinese Botos Gallery, 5 Gresson St, Wan Chai. society and female identity. She has Opening hours: Tue-Fri,3pm-7pm; exhibited at, and is collected by, Sat, 12pm-6pm. Inquiries: 2527 9733

REVIEWS This was an unusually large-scale continuously, stopping from time to Poet Li Bai production for the company, with time to interact or dance alone. Asian Performing Arts of Colorado Dao Extraordinaire an original score by local composer The second section illustrating HK Cultural Centre Grand Theatre City Contemporary Dance Company Chan Hing-yan and the the five elements (water, fire, wood, Reviewed: Dec 4 Kwai Tsing Theatre participation of students from the metal and earth) was Reviewed: Dec 4 HK Academy for Performing Arts. choreographed by Lai Tak-wai, Luo While the Hong Kong Philharmonic The choreography was by Tsao, Fan, Noel Pong, Dominic Wong and was roistering through a Li Bai The City Contemporary Dance Helen Lai, Xing Liang and five of the Yang Yizi. Well performed by the drinking poem in Mahler’s Song of Company closed its 30th company’s dancers. While it was a students, it looked like a 19th the Earth at the Cultural Centre anniversary season with this work nice idea to involve more company century ballet divertissement, a Concert Hall on Friday, the theatre conceived by founder and artistic members in the anniversary year, resemblance accentuated by was coincidentally exposing the director Willy Tsao. Despite his track having so many voices made for Edmond Wong’s tacky costumes. Tang dynasty man of letters as a record in addressing themes from inconsistency in style. Helen Lai opened the third weary old soak, about to come to a Chinese culture, this dance The powerful opening sequence section with a solo for Lam Po, watery end in Guo Wenjing’s interpretation of the ancient school by Xing created the sense of which developed into a brief duet splendid 2007 chamber opera, of thought known as the dao proved an eternal cycle of life to good with Qiao Yang (below, left, with Poet Li Bai. more mystifying than enlightening. effect as the dancers circled the stage Lam). This was one of the highlights, Mahler invested angst and huge as were the linking sections for the forces in the poetry; Poet Li Bai is a two dancers earlier on. model of profound simplicity. Li Bai The rest of the show, lives in exile on a boat, consoling choreographed by Tsao, included himself in wine and communing an outstanding solo for Xing, a with the moon; flashback to better principal soloists combined flawless dancer who brings out the best in times at the Imperial Court where he technique with subtle acting. Tsao and vice-versa. But a Rite is fawned over before being As Li Bai, Tian Haojiang’s of Spring-like section performed discarded; rebound to the final take gripping bass voice commanded the in a circle of Easter Island statues where he surrenders himself in stage, flipping to falsetto with was odd and odder still was the confusion not to the moon, but to its acrobatic precision; tenor Chi comic finale with reflection in the water. Liming (above, right, with Tian) was the dancers The five-act, 90-minute work is a full-bodied Wine; soprano Zhou walking like porcelain: each aspect of the Xiaolin, as Moon, floated her lines solemnly production beautifully; Peking opera tenor Jiang around the is delicately Qihu was on form as Poetry and stage wielding wrought. Magistrate. a bizarre variety The music is Direction, sets, costumes and of everyday suffused with lighting were all telling in their objects, from an oriental flavours simplicity, throwing the spotlight umbrella to a and gentle on the onto the libretto by Diana Liao and vacuum ear; the opening of Xu Ying in which not a word is cleaner. The the third act (Li Bai wasted. Under Yip Wing-sie, the dao, it seems, at the Imperial Palace) is pure Hong Kong Sinfonietta gave is in everything. Cecile B. DeMille. The Opera Hong impressive support from the pit...... Kong Chorus excelled in a ...... Natasha Rogai multifaceted role, while the Sam Olluver