Not Another Artistic Statement

I guess I don’t really have an idea what I’m doing. It’s too intuitive, sensitive, ambiguous, transient and indefinable. It comes form nowhere, but it’s everywhere. It’s inside of me, and every part of me. I don’t quite know what it is. People call it art. So I guess I’m an artist then.

I enjoy what I’m doing, whether it’s acting, writing or directing, whether on stage or behind a camera. That’s all that matters. To me, art is simply something people enjoy doing; just like cooks enjoy cooking; runners enjoy running; car racers enjoy the touch of speed; salesmen enjoy the feeling every time they sell their products. It can all be called “Art”. Art is made of pure passion and enthusiasm; it is the first, and the all.

Overall, I enjoy thinking, about myself as an individual, about others as multiple sides of me, about culture as a collective movement, and about the world as a compelling mystery that holds pieces of truth. Then I come to realize that all my weirdest thoughts are condone by art. Then I began art practices.

Art needs no glorification. Everyone needs to find something to do to spend his or her lifetime. I would like to live my life in a happy way, so I want to choose something I think would worth my time. Art is something I want to make a living with. Therefore, my art should not stray away from its social value. I believe expression is essential, but if others do not receive the expression, hence the communication is missing, then it is not art, but self-indulgence. However, I don’t think artists should do art in expectation to shape or reform the society. That is too much to burden, besides changing the society should be the sociologists’ job. What artists can do is to offer the society a variety of ways to see itself, to provoke thinking, and to create resonation. It would be nice if art accidentally arouses some social movement and subconsciously advances some society. But this consequence should not be something taken into consideration in an artist’s creation.

Art is not something I’m married to. It’s just the thing I’m obsessed with right now. I don’t know how long it is going to go along with me in my life.  But since art’s been accompanying me long as I could remember, I guess I’ll keep this hobby, forever, maybe.

… I feel like I can write 20 more pages on my attitude towards arts, but here is what’s on my mind now. I don’t know where it will go to in 5, 10, or 20 years; or maybe in 24 hours it’ll change completely. But it is basically my artistic statement at the age of 20. I’m curious to see what it will turn to be like in the future.

- I found a copy of a manifesto I wrote for a class a year ago. It is interesting to see how much I’ve changed, how much remains, and how confused I am, still. I actually find great pleasure in this confusion.

1.     What is the current state of society?

On the surface, the society as a whole seems to be looking at a steadier and more developed future. People tend to be more caring about the world and trying to live in harmony with others not only for the good of themselves. Beneath the surface, however, there are still lots of social issues waiting to be resolved. As the world seems to be infinitely developed, competitions and benefits disturb people’s mind that directs the society to be materialized. These issues are sometimes inevitable, but people never stop trying to find a better way to solve these problems.

2.     What does society need?  Why?

The society needs to stop the fast development. People in the society need to be clearer about what they want to achieve in their lives and know when to stop asking from the world. I think the reason for this chaotic and money driven society is that people do not get enough of what they receive and they are too selfish to share. This is a world for rich people because they have the power to change the world. Sadly, some people are never enough with what they have already had, so they make war and fight to ask for infinite benefit.

3.     What is the current state of the arts in society?

We are trying to inherit from the ancient art and to revival their glory, but fail to use the quintessence of classical art and apply it to the post modernist art. Artists today lack knowledge of the classical art. And as the society becomes more material, some artists do not think as deeply as artists used to do. Therefore, their works become shallow and tasteless. Besides, art in the post modern society has lost its sincerity. Some pretentious people study art to be “artsy” or just to “be cool”. It is being forgotten that art is not about showing off, but about expressing one’s most sincere feeling.

4.     What does it mean to be human?  What makes us human?  What binds us together?

To be human means to individually enjoy a journey of a lifetime while contribute to the world in this journey.

I am not sure if it is God that makes us human, binds us together, and gives us this journey. But I believe that there is a higher power that takes control of our lives and fate.

5.     Which are more important, social conditions or the state of one’s spirit, soul or psyche. Of if both are important, to what degree, in what relationship?

They are both important. The state of one’s spirit, soul or psyche is formed from social conditions and social conditions change people’s spirit at the same time. But I would rather believe the state of one’s spirit, soul or psyche is more important, because with this belief, something beautiful about human being would happen. If people are all stuck in their social conditions, whether the conditions are good or bad, their minds could be locked and they would only focus on what they have in reality. On the contrary, if they let their spirit and soul take them to wherever they want to go, open their heart and let their spirit communicate with others, they would enjoy a journey of life full of sincerity, surprises, and imagination.

6.     What kind of art does society need? Why?

Art of sincerity.

I always think art should be sincere. It is not showing off. It is not a prepared presentation to anyone. It is a condensation of the artist’s most sincere emotions and feelings.

7.     What king of art do you feel most passionate about? 

Art that conveys great love makes me feel passionate. There are some kind of loves that are greater than others. For instance, although they are both love between men and women, a love tested by war is sometimes greater than a couple’s happiness and sorrow in the era of peace. That is because the pain the couple in war feel is greater than the one the couple in peace era feel. The latter seem to resonate people less only because it is not deep enough. Therefore, I am passionate about some love and human emotions that would touch me, make me think, inspire me, remind me of my existence in the world and keep me motivated.

8.     What king of art do you need? 

Beside what is described in the previous question, I need the kind of art that is sincere enough to inspire me, direct me to another way of thinking, and lead me to look into a new perspective of life.

9.     Where does theatre stand in relation to the other arts? Should it be separate from them, collaborate with them, disappear into them?

Theatre is an art that collaborates with other arts but has its distinguish and indispensable existence.

10.  What kind of theatre would you like to see, participate in, and create?

I like all kinds of theatre. I try to see more classical theatrical works in order to experience the time and society that is far from the time and place we are living in. I also like to see, participate in, and create contemporary theatre, because through contemporary theatre I can have a glimpse of the society I am in so I can gain some ideas and perspectives to apply to altering our society and make it better.

11.  What forms or media should your art or theatre use? What makes each media different from the other media?  How would you use them?

I am still discovering the form of theatre in America. But it is very obvious in China, we have two kinds of theatre forms, the classical and the avant-garde. I prefer the classical theatre form, because its works are all easy to understand (which is important, because the reason we do art is to make the viewers understand) and sincere. The avant-garde form works seem to pretend that they are “artistic”, and they sometimes deliberately make the art very formal and very hard to understand. I think it is showing off; it is not real art.

12.  What is goal or purpose of your theatre, of your art?

To make the audiences think. To show them another way of thinking. To help them understand big love and pull them out of their own happy and sorrow which they might think are their everything. To create them a sanctuary to rest their heart and soul.

13.  In the age of television, film, internet and ipods, does theatre still have a purpose?  What is it? What needs can theatre serve that cannot be served by other media? How can theatre work with or in conjunction with these other media? Or does theatre need to be completely separate?

Yes. Theatre differs other medium in many ways. But the most important part is that it is live. In theatrical arts, actors communicates directly with the audiences without the isolation of a screen. Therefore, theatre can be the most direct way to achieve the exchange between heart and heart. Audiences see the story actors are playing on stage and they give feedback with laughter, sigh and silence. Actors receive them while they are on the stage right in front of the audience. This is the closest distance for artists to communicate with others.

14.  Why are you doing what you are doing?  What do you want to act, direct, design, produce, etc? Or if these are not you goals, what are?  How does theatre training fit into your goals?

I want to do my best to make the world a better place. There are people who are trying to change it through aspects like politics, medications, or educations. I think we cannot change the world materially. I believe in the power of spiritual impact. If we want to change the world, we have to change the people. If we want to change the people, we have to change their brains. Since the world is not in the perfect status (I actually do not believe it could ever achieve to a perfect status. But it is a trend it has to be better, and people are still putting efforts to change it), I am on my life journey, there is nothing more I want to achieve than to leave something for the descendants. I believe it is the only thing that every generation has to accomplish. I want to act and direct simply because I want the audience to see what I see in the world and be inspired. Theatre training can be an self-exploration to me. I can find something I am not aware of in my daily life. Through theatre training I become sensitive to my every feeling and to what happen around the world. This helps me understand life better and live with intelligence and wisdom.