Introduction to “A Conversation with Hsieh Tehching, from the Black Cover Book” Lee Ambrozy

DOCUMENT/INTRODUCTION

inTroDuCTion To “a ConVersaTion WiTh hsieh TehChing, froM The Black cover Book” Lee ambrozy

In 1993, before they would arrive at their current acclaim, Hsieh Tehching, Ai Weiwei, and Xu Bing convened in New York City to discuss art, personal choice, society, and the individual, among other abstractions. At that time, New York was an adopted home for all three artists. Hsieh arrived from Taiwan in 1974, and Ai from Beijing in 1981, followed by Xu in 1990. The city was an intellectual seedbed for the Chinese émigré community, its urban fabric an incubator for creative projects that would resonate in a still-opening and still-reforming China. One such project was the now-renowned Chinese art publication The Black Cover Book, the intended destination and motivation behind the dialogue translated here. Published in late 1993, this thin black journal was famously distributed through unoffi cial channels to reach China’s art circles. The city of New York had been an irreplaceable backdrop to the monumental series of live-art performances that Hsieh executed there over fi ve twelve-month intervals between 1978 and 1986—his One Year Performances series. In One Year Performance 1978–79 (Cage Piece), Hsieh spent the year living in a small wooden cage; in One Year Performance 1980–81 (Time Clock Piece), he punched a time clock on the hour every hour for one calendar year; in One Year Performance 1981–82 (Outdoor Piece), he lived entirely outside and did not enter any sheltered spaces; and in One Year Performance 1983–84 (Rope Piece),

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Cover Black The in featured artist headlining the Hsieh was Indeed, China. within areputation YorkNew were slowly and gaining time at the 31, 1999. on December birthday, 49th his until 31, again 1986, on and December he vowedway; not art to show his Piece) (No Art 1985–86 eight-foot-long Year piece of an rope. For Performance One with together themselves Montano tied Linda artist performance Hsieh and Hsieh’s feats of endurance and self-control were well known in in Hsieh’s known were well self-control and feats of endurance , the last in the series, he did not interact with art in any any in art with not he interact did series, the in last , the over Book over : The Cul : The t ural Milieu ural , its , its - - - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00114 by guest on 27 September 2021 3 2 abstraction. and modernism canvas, and oil with familiar long been Beihong—have Xu and Fengmian Lin as such Communists, embraced the by be later who would painters, influential most some country’s of the including artists— war. Chinese before the Europe across and Paris in salons and workedacademies and who in lived painters Chinese with century 20th the into (1644–1912) continuing and dynasty Qing the during at court painters Jesuit with West, beginning the with entangled deeply (1929) Woodcuts Modern of Selections his and LuXun with belongs tion tradi This arts. the in self-publication inspired of politically tradition considered esteemed to alongand be arecent addition also could Book Cover Black The fact, the after years twenty nearly dialogue ent from the appar not may be publication of the implications political the Although theory. Maoist Weiwei revolutionary in versed Ai and were well Bing Xu Revolution, both Cultural the up during grown having lution, and of revo instrument an was pen the that Mao proclaimed had all, After change. social inspire and communities together word to bring printed of promote power the as of were aware development.”the its well They as art modern for Chinese environment acreative provide will cussion dis and exchange, participation, of interactive type This others. with to show, interact on, and elaborate opportunity the with artists Chinese 1 Chinese Communist Party’s version. Party’s Communist Chinese the 1907, than in earlier much Manifesto Communist oftion the transla Chinese a publish to first the as recognized been recently has Justice He Natural Yin-Zhen’s journal thinker anarcho-feminist by exemplified is This profound had implications. they and China, in alongtradition had ideas cultural-political Translations of radical acknowledge. we generally West to the than closer much and hybrid were more inclinations modernist and genetics cultural its Square, Tiananmen in events Revolution the and Cultural the during isolation War. Civil the 1933 in cell during prison Kuomindang from a poems Ai’s includes father, revolutionary who also wrote and California Press, 2012). Press, California of University (Berkeley: China Modern of Art The Shen, Kuiyi and F. Andrews Julia See 2013). Press, University York: Columbia (New Ko Dorothy and Karl, E. Rebecca Theory Transnational in Texts Essential Feminism: Chinese of Birth The Knowledge in Chinese Societies, 1895–1949 Societies, Chinese in Knowledge and Information Ideas, Perception: and Profit, Print, in Movement,” Woodcut Chinese Modern the and Xun Lu Experimentation: through “Modernity Emrich, Elizabeth Although China in the 1990s was still recovering from a decade of from adecade recovering still 1990s was the in China Although 3 , ed. Pei-yin Lin (Boston: Brill, 2014), 64–91. 2014), Brill, (Boston: Lin Pei-yin , ed. 2 The visual arts were just as as were just arts visual The , ed. Lydia Liu, Liu, Lydia , ed. , which , which - - - - 1 -

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100 artmargins 4:2 cial for understanding its impact on China’s small circle of conceptual of conceptual circle on China’s small impact its for understanding cial in their editorial decision-making. editorial their in scene were central art its and York New city in lived the that both and Xu and Ai that given unsurprising, perhaps was which bias, centric nently. York– New its Hsieh’s emphasized book the presence in strong promi featured Hsieh’s while Year Performances One Mandarin, into Warhol, Andy were translated Koons Jeff and on Duchamp, Marcel cles arti profiles, to artist addition In China. in publishing art presence in or no little had hitherto that of production works—modes experimental and as conceptual photographyas well by showcasing of “art” definition anew put forth editors The Xiaojun). Jianjun) (Zeng Boston and Zhang York New in Gongxin, (Wang artists as well as Xu Tan Guangzhou; in and Shaoxiong Chen Hangzhou; in Peili Zhang Beijing; Jianwei in Wang and Dong Song art: contemporary in names become familiar of whom many have of artists, practices studio the documents book convene. could The artists of like-minded a space where acommunity as page printed the offered publication the China, spaces within gallery or exhibition absence of 1990s.the physical In early the in China in known or little undocumented were either that international, and local both practices, of art to audiences awealth Chinese introduced Book Cover Black The plans, project and sketches artist including ments, ( fever” “literature the as known whatwidely is during again Book Cover Black tive moment for all artists and intellectuals. and moment artists tive for all forma and arehabilitative philosophy. 1980s were thus The Buddhist in interest andresurgent Taoist a concurrent diversified also they time, first for audiences the young reach philosophy and literature European of translations Revolution. Not did only Cultural of the operas model the as such of monotonous followed years mation culture, “Red” infor of floodgates of the opening This Chinese. into were translated intellectuals other and Nietzsche, 1980s, when Sartre, Freud, of the 4 MIT Press, 2011). Press, MIT MA: (Cambridge, Art Chinese Twentieth-Century in Avant-Garde the and Modernity Total Minglu, Gao see period, this of treatment theoretical comprehensive most the arguably For 2010). Press, University Duke NC: (Durham, Series Documents Primary MoMA Documents Primary Art: Chinese Contemporary eds., Wang, Peggy and Wu Hung See The Black Cover Book Cover Black The surrounding context The docu archival and interviews, combination its of images, Through of The editors to the relevant and history, Chinese More in recently , the prolific translation of European ideas picked up picked ideas of European translation prolific , the 4 ’s cru is production wenxue re wenxue , - - - - ) - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00114 by guest on 27 September 2021 the guerilla-style Stars Art exhibition ( exhibition Art Stars guerilla-style the for it pointed, recalled historically was action The time. at that capital the in institution exhibiting important most the of China, Museum of 1989. events Square Tiananmen the lowing fol period the in art or unsanctioned foreign discussing publications of Chinese-language dearth to the testimony are renown wide its oped devel and circulated book the which with speed The art. based tually space for concep meeting virtual underground, an roleits as fulfilling audience, thus specialized of select, its hands the into way found its Book Cover Black The weeks, Within themselves). artists of the mostly composed is a it community fact, (in literature or film, arts, plastic more compared to the mainstream small relatively been always has China within audience for art avant-garde The groups of friends. closed among mainly distributed was book the border China, into the across border to Hong for Kong printing. the across smuggled to be proofs needed the meantthat ahurdle such But editors, for the material. about on unfamiliar suspicions based of self-censorship instance an likely most was decision hour. The enth elev to do so at the volume refused the to print commissioned house interests. commercial degeneracy,”pursuing as such of flames “cultural the fan to potential to have the or deemed is content abstract tic suspiciously is Even today, eyebrows when artis raise censors dangerous. it potentially of content its made nature foreign and independent untested, and new the and territory, unknown it traversed political, not explicitly was tion publica the 1990s. Although early the during artists performance and 6 5 cultural luminaries such as Huang Rui and Wang Keping. With no With Wang and Keping. Rui Huang as such luminaries cultural were members its Revolution, among and Cultural the following arts the in self-expression demanded manifesto Their movement China. in art contemporary first the as cited Group been Stars often has The museum. same the fence on surrounding the installed been had which Author interview with Ai Weiwei, April 4, 2013. 4, April Weiwei, Ai with interview Author News. Xinhua 2014, 16, October arts,” for way points Xi “China’s See Art.” and Literature on “Yan’an Talks 1942 Zedong’s Mao echoes message The values. socialist reflect and people the serve instead money,’” of should but stench ‘the bear not should and market the of ‘slaves’ the be not should works “Art that was sage mes His speak. to arts performing the and literature, film, from figures cultural invited Jinping Xi Arts,” and Literature on Forum “Beijing atthe 2014, 15, October on Recently, The book was also hawked by artists outside Beijing’s National Art outside Beijing’s Art National artists by hawked also was book The As Ai has discussed in a recent interview, the Shenzhen printing printing Shenzhen the arecent interview, in discussed has Ai As 5 6 Following its surreptitious re-entry re-entry surreptitious its Following xingxing huahui zhan huahui xingxing ) of 1979, ------101

ambrozy | introduction to “a conversation with H sieh tehching, from the black cover book ” Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00114 by guest on 27 September 2021

102 artmargins 4:2 Wang dug a hole in the floor of his Beijing house located in the tradi the in Beijing located house his floor of Wang ahole the dug in ahole to China,” of “digging myth version American inverse of the toan create (1995). in Beijing aHole Attempting Brooklyn—Digging of Sky installation early, his in site-specific biculturalism this trated Book Cover Black in The profiled oneartists of the Gongxin, to Wang Beijing’s community. creative counterpoints crucial as acted overseas who experience had artists atmosphere, and tal’s politicized road. the brick—across by wall—brick the migrated he then performance, ninety-minute his during Guangzhou; roads in onebusiest of the to obstruct blocks of cinder wall asmall constructed (1993) Road Linhe one is example. across Maneuvering Yilin’s Safely spaces: public Lin in to intervene opted also venues, BTE exhibition absence of the In masses. of the education cultural forintended the space community Socialist-era Palace,” avestigial “Workers Cultural ina exhibition first their They held system. official worked the inside Xu later Tan), and Yilin, Lin Shaoxiong, Chen Juhui, Liang included agroup that group (or Tail Big Elephant BTE, the techniques, mative perfor and media nontraditional with experimenting collective artist were incarcerated. artists and in were police called were scandalized, the neighbors if occasion, On flesh. human of burning smell the with the neighborhood filled and whereonto it sizzled ahot him, plate below blood own his dripped and avein, opened ceiling, from the himself suspended Huan Zhang work 65 (1993), his In kg artist for instance, infrastructure. cultural aconservative with works clashed performance extreme capital’s on the outskirts, community artists’ asmall Village,” Beijing’s in “East living artists by experienced As practices. conceptual or venues live-art for sanctioned or no official were still 1990s, there early the by meantthat, expression of creative silencing its and ists 7 arts. visual the into back self-expression introducing public, works in their hung Groupthedaringly Stars exhibition, an such host to officially unwilling being museum the works, and their space to exhibit nongovernmental 8 Chinese Art Chinese Contemporary eds., Wang, Wu and in Exhibition,” Stars “About the Xianting, Li See Kunsthalle Bern, 1998). Bern, Kunsthalle Switzerland: (Bern, (Großschwanzelefant) xiang wei Da catalog exhibition the See Artists like those in the BTE, who were based far from the capi from the far who were based BTE, the in those like Artists In Guangzhou, located on the border with “free” Hong Kong, an an Hong Kong, “free” border with on the located Guangzhou, In tolerance for art avant-garde limited state’s the persistently fact, In 7 , 11–13. , illus- 8 Lin Lin - - - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00114 by guest on 27 September 2021 tual artwork in itself. in artwork tual of concep akind as seen be can of self-publishing act radical this such, As locations. physical artists’ of the converged, regardless practices driven space where conceptually It avirtual opened China. across tices prac art experimental undernurtured of and hitherto biculturalism emergent of the manifestation to become aphysical practices parate studio. his Brooklyn above he filmed had that clouds ing pass and sky of the a video hole, monitorthe heshowing placed a video hutong called capital of the dwellings alleyway tional became fast friends with Hsieh. Considering his unique family history history family unique his Considering Hsieh. with friends fast became home 1981, In Weiwei Beijing. for in Beijing York, Ai New left where he courtyard to their returned late 1970s they and the in rehabilitated was Qing Ai Weiwei childhood—until Ai his spent Province—where remote Western Xinjiang the in to Shihezi, exiled was fact in family Movement entire late 1950s. of the The Anti-Rightist the during exile sent political into who was poet revolutionary famous anationally was it.” toway undermine only the that’s it, West’splay at the but we have game, to understand he. than We shouldn’t areeven butmore marginal we figure, ginal amar was Hsieh “[Duchamp] says, dialogue. their through intuited marginali of feeling The task. aformidable as alone on system” merit “Western saw Hsieh’s the into acceptance artists but many performances, his of strength for the he admired Not was only China. within poignant more the all status celebrity his made Taiwanesescene. His origins the New in live-art York figure aseminal 1993, was Hsieh Tehching by For example, discussion. to their pivotal is background shared Yet this background. cultural-linguistic and experience immigrant shared their relationship, is their it frames though even edge, acknowl do not explicitly Whatthey dialogue. their sition permeates tran in urgency the palpable of sense and change, life of asignificant verge on the were each artists three These for something.” preparing but we’re change, all go to Taiwan.It’sYork, a small only Iwill and New in is Xu Bing to China. go back Weiwei will to do something. “We’re Hsieh observes: Xu, and Ai all with discussion the In Trans Dialogue: The incorporated all of these geographically dis geographically of these all incorporated Book Cover Black The Ai Weiwei’s family history was also complex. His father, Ai Qing, Qing, father, complex. His Ai also Weiwei’swas Ai history family zation that these three émigré artists shared can likewise be be likewise can shared artists émigré three these that zation c rip t s fro m aF u t ure P ure s. At the bottom of bottom At the s. as t preparing preparing - - - - - - 103

104 artmargins 4:2 artist. As they debate his adaptability to changing times, Ai views him him views Ai times, to changing adaptability debate his they As artist. Western archetypal the becomes discussion their who in for instance, to Duchamp, reactions Compare their dialogue. ferent to the worldview exchange. linguistic and of cultural to way issues to give workearly began his informed had that futility human and of repetition themes these Xu’s culture, a foreign ofAfter in hopelessness. sense immersion gnant evokedapoi that connotations absurdist completely nonsensical––had was of which text––all of woodblock-printed installation immersive an to produce such necessary toil of human amount whelming over room. The toentire cover an hung onand paper printed acters” char “Chinese illegible and of contrived of thousands installation print 9 work. intriguing creator of out this the sought Hsieh quickly and Ai (Tianshu). Sky the from breakout work his Book completing after years 1990, three just United States in to the He came forums. academic in discussion that Xu’s responsibility. to social work central was alleged artists’ from the qualities formal art’s to disentangle late 1970s werethe beginning in artists extreme, to an Revolution took formalism Cultural the While agenda. Realist Socialist the within priority highest given was and itself artwork of the qualities formal from the inseparable made was sibility respon social artists’ 1942, in “Yan’anArt” and the on Literature Talks Mao delivered academy.After art Chinese the in training his reflects that a concern responsibility, artist’s the about redefining anxiety Xu expresses dialogue the In arts. plastic the in training academic had art. porary contem in discourse aChinese-language to shaping a commitment Book Cover Black The overlooked. work often is editorial early important but Ai’s activist, apolitical as We today him know arts. decorative and visual Chinese by as York’s New by galleries much as Village East a complex as informed blend formulated of influences was makeup tual York, New in Ai’s twenties intellec formative his spent having his and Madison, Wisconsin. Madison, in Xu’s residency during Xu and Ai, Hsieh, of aphotograph for 247, catalog, exhibition 2011), 14, 29–August June Museum, Society York: Asia (New 1983–1993 Photographs York New Weiwei: Ai eds., Mao, Christophe and Tung, Stephanie Weidong, Mao See Despite their commonalities, the three artists each brought adif brought each artists three the commonalities, their Despite By contrast, Xu Bing came from a more orthodox background and and background from amore came orthodox Xu Bing By contrast, Grey Cover Books Cover Grey and White later the , and 9 was alabor-intensive was woodblock Sky the from Book , clearly demonstrate demonstrate , clearly ------Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00114 by guest on 27 September 2021 a cultural context or shared web of history, values, and theory. and web of or values, history, shared context a cultural the artworld Danto’s of definition to Arthur aparallel as understood best be perhaps it can English, in context this in unfamiliar feels system term we shouldn’t bother.”of the even use that is the If of view My point Western system: the in or not intervene of we should whether “As to it: relative position problem for own the artists’ three ofand the “system” of opinion the his in summarized be Hsieh’s can attitudes system.” a“Western as from whatposited is alienation their sense will he.”than areeven butmore marginal we figure, amarginal “He was worldview: macrocosmic aself-effacing strates Hsieh demon arrows.”And and werebows only there Before him, gun. a use to first the He was agun. with aguy just was “Duchamp tides: changing the within roleinevitable an fulfilling as him sees developments.” Xu conversely future predicted “Duchamp oracle: an as 10 larly illegible characters, yet each “character” is in fact an English word English an fact in is “character” each yet characters, illegible larly Sky the from (1994) Book earlier have may resembled the Word Square His Calligraphy for particular. Xu in transformative was period This heritage. cultural of his character distinctive the recognize he could which within culture anew in Xu Bing it and immersed there; protests rights Weiwei, Ai who civil joined young of the activism ding bud the 1980s, York New the in nurtured Square also Tiananmen in demonstrations the with protests solidarity even and labor strikes, ism, activ AIDS with heaving Hsieh’s performances; yearlong tremendous for canvas the spaces provided city’s The itself. Book Cover Black The of production the and friendship, work, their artists’ for the catalyst York. mere York New backdrop, indispensable More an than became dough’.” any ‘making play without to agroup of who topeople pay attention anymore “nobody willing is reality: current to this alludes presciently Xu Bing market. art the China) in art room for the contemporary in elephant the (perhaps and morality, responsibility, social of art, production dom the of choice in today, free is as discourse art Chinese-language the in cited quently fre relations) still is (China-Western guanxi of opposition zhongxi This West. and East between opposition on and acultural of biculturalism on aposition based is system” Hsieh’sand “Western of the discussion LXI (1964): 571–84. LXI Philosophy of Journal Artworld,” “The Danto, C. Arthur The “system” emerges as a leitmotif in the dialogue, and readers and dialogue, the in “system” aleitmotif emerges as The The fourth (silent) participant in the discussion is the city of New city the is discussion the in (silent) participant fourth The , with its simi its , with 10 Xu, Ai, Ai, Xu, - - : - - - - 105

106 artmargins 4:2 the rough equivalent of 25 USD equivalent today. rough the considerable was it sold for price day; for its tion.” selling its Meanwhile “not world for and for “art insiders” circula open being as Book Cover Black The for York New describes submissions Street, call City. The 7th East 52 as listed Xu Bing’s was address sender number; beeper a included and addressee as Boyi Feng curator the listed submissions of the same name. same of the automobile manufactured China’sandfirst to flag national ence to the arefer Flag), (Red Hongqi favor title in of was the Ai audacious cally The morepoliti editors. the among conflict caused book of the title the believed, to be are histories oral popular If book’sment title. over the adisagree with began drama The history. made likewise has duction pro its behind strife editorial internal the and climate, political tense a in born was project book’s The release. the and dialogue the both have colored content, Inoted earlier—politics as nonpolitical ostensibly 13 13 12 11 for Exchange.” Documents Flag—Art “Red entitled year that for earlier submissions acall circulated had editors the aquarterly, as planned originally was Book Cover Black Since The U Taiwan or in China. unavailable yet criticism—something and tives, collec artist museums, of galleries, network mature afully as stood under be also could that system” Warhol to a“Western allusions and Andy as such mention of artists via dialogue weaves their into way its York New glyph. interlocutor as of aChinese trappings semiotic and appearance the within alphabet Latin of the letters nestling by created most literal translation; it could also, perhaps more cannily, be trans morebe perhaps cannily, it also, could translation; literal most the only is Book Cover Black The original. Chinese the in embedded Xu’s and Ai’s politics acompromise concerns. between thus Book,” is to “Black-Skinned literally translates , which shu Heipi title The editors. its and trouble magazine for the unwarranted cause would nexpe surveying troops lined up for inspection. up for lined troops surveying while ridden have since leaders all and Mao model the was car Soviet-style the China, independent a strong, of Asymbol Square. Tiananmen on staged spectacles political the in motif acentral itbecame 1958, in produced was vehicle Hongqi first the as soon As 2014. April Tianmiao, Lin and Gongxin Wang with interview Author www.aaa.org.hk/Collection/CollectionOnline/SpecialCollectionItem/7689. Archive, Art Asia Exchange), for Documents Flag—Art (Red ziliao” jiaoliu qi—Yishu “Hong As with all things cultural in China—and despite the publication’s despite the China—and in cultural things all with As Still, the English title is misleadingly innocuous, as politics remain remain politics as innocuous, misleadingly is title English the Still, ct e d O u 13 tco Xu Bing allegedly felt that such a provocative title title aprovocative such felt that allegedly Xu Bing m es 12 11 The Beijing address for address Beijing The ------Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/ARTM_a_00114 by guest on 27 September 2021 alized publishing project. publishing alized conceptu covers ambitiously of an two the between only it was if even of York, New Village East before ever to the than proximity closer in was Beijing’s Village” “East such, space. As asingle within Koons and Hsieh, as Duchamp, such artists together bracketing in succeeded Book Cover Black The age, apre-Internet In construction. own of their cage bamboo to a confined China in of artists nor concerns tion, were the isola in working No longerwere they territory. intellectual and graphic geo to agreater connected as self-conception own their formulate artists Chinese helped context, moment bicultural of and a uniquely cal morethe urgent. all it seem make dialogue this fueling idealism and enterprise the this, Considering deterrent. without and indifferently plagiarize that zines maga websites, print and media, of art new number ever-increasing an to be on what seems advertising of soft excess an supports market art contemporary problem, astrong and asubstantial is Censorship dles. of hur excess an and of incentives alack as summarized best be can which China, within criticism art of good shortage to the contribute factors Many demonstrates. manifestly Book Cover Black The which itself, in act acritical be can publishing to remember that important is it adiscourse, of such or criticality authenticity the to disparage eager world are art Chinese of the observers many today. While discourse art Chinese-language within issues of still-relevant aset crystallizing in succeeds dialogue short the and China, contemporary in lishing intended wordplayintended ( papers” on “white editors’ the reflect would translation Papers.” “Black as lated This 15 14 Tibetan or Taiwanese independence. Tibetan as such issues, contentious political on certain stance party’s of the www.china.org.cn/e-white/ at online found be can papers white CCCP’s the of list (1995). A complete China” in Planning “Family and (1992), China” of Reunification and Question Taiwan (1992), “The Situation” Rights Human and Ownership (1991), “Tibet––Its China” in Rights “Human include papers white (CCCP’s) Party’s Communist the of Committee Central The papers. white the by inspired was title the that interview a 2010 in me to confirmed artist the footnote, this in cited not Although 68. note 263 2011), Press, MIT MA: (Cambridge, 2006–2009 Rants, Digital and Interviews, Writings, Blog: Weiwei’s Ai see papers, white governmental with title this of associations the of question the On The Black Cover Book Cover Black The Just importantly, as pub underground epitomizes Book Cover Black Ultimately, The 15 baipi shu baipi , born of a unique histori of aunique , born ), 14 official clarifications clarifications official - - - - - - 107

ambrozy | introduction to “a conversation with H sieh tehching, from the black cover book ”