镀锌钢板，把手，合页，锁扣，钮子开关，Led二极管，碳膜电阻，铜丝，开关电源，铭牌，电源线 / galvanized steel sheet, grip, hinges, locks, hexagon socket cap screws, toggle switches, Led diode, carbon-film resistor, copper wire, switching power supply, name plates, power cable, 箱子 / case: 30×39×11 cm，总体尺寸可变 / overall dimensions variable，2013
作品自述 / Artist text:
人类或许正在经历一个经济和冲突全球化的陌生世界，然而直到最近，对于世界政治而言，主权国家似乎仍然是最具有正当性的参与主体。或许因为这项共识，关于未来的讨论在如今却也都离不开经济学和政治意识形态的话语统治。不禁要问的是：作为个体又可以在多大程度上塑造这个世界？儒家的治平之道曾经在过去的两千年里给出身平民的中国人提供了一种积极入世的方法论；而欧洲启蒙主义以来的思想家们也从个人理想出发不断激励人们去反思和改良现代性。这其中的乐观派代表托马斯 • 费里德曼(Thomas L. Friedman)就预见全球化和技术进步可能带来的“ 平的世界”。
—
在这些因素的鼓舞下，我参考了英国政府使用的部长箱和体现美俄国家意志的核武控制箱，用常见于中国民间的镀锌钢板制造了一个管控世界的手提箱。其中一共装有198个带有铭牌的开关，分别对应195个为联合国承认的主权国家和三个有待命名的政治实体。为了适应我们今天的决策习惯，每个开关只提供两种视觉上的结果，分别是亮起的蓝色和红色指示灯。这两种选择虽然有限，但其所代表的含义却可能是无限的。任何人都可以赋予这些开关任意一对具有张力的二元叙事，例如让一个政治实体贫穷与富裕，左倾或者右倾，战争还是和平等等。
Humanity is perhaps experiencing a strange world of financial globalization and conflicts, and it is only until recently, sovereign states still seem to be the most appropriate participants on the issues of global politics. Perhaps due to this consensus, discussions concerning the future nowadays are inseparable from the discursive sovereignty of economics and political ideology. One is propelled to inquire that, as an individual to which extent may he/she shape the World? The Confucian way of self-cultivation has provided a proactive approach for the common Chinese citizens in the last two thousand years; and since the European Renaissance, thinkers have also been encouraged people to reflect and improve on modernity based on individual ideals. Among them, the enthusiast Thomas Friedman envisions the possible "Flat World" brought forth by globalization and progress on information and technology.
Inspired by these factors, I considered the minister's box adopted by the British government and the nuclear control box indicative of the will of the American and Russian states, and have fabricated a briefcase that controls the World by using commonly used zinc plated aluminum sheets. On it, I installed 198 name-plated switches, among them, 195 are UN approved sovereign states and 3 are yet to be named political bodies, in order to adapt to our way of policy making, each switch only provides two visual options that turns to blue or red indicator. Although these two options may be limited, while the meanings it may represent would be indefinite. Any one could assign a set of dichotomous narrative of tension, for example, allowing a political entity to be impoverished and enriched, leaning towards to the right or left, war and peace and etc.
展出履历 / Related Exhibitions:
中国风景：2019泰康收藏精品展，唐昕策展，A07号楼，798艺术区，北京，2019
在乌托邦与敌托邦之间，玛瑙策展，Massimo De Carlo，香港，2017
向左拉动：不保持一贯正确，唐昕策展，Urban Arts Space，俄亥俄州立大学，哥伦布；Hillstrom Museum of Art，古斯塔夫阿道尔夫学院，圣彼得； The Trout Gallery，迪金森学院 + The Rose Lehrman Art Gallery & Fenêtre Gallery，哈里斯堡社区大学， 宾夕法尼亚州，2014~2015
消极或抵抗？，苏文祥策展，泰康空间，北京，2013
雨天炎天，卢婧策展，艾可画廊，上海，2013
China Landscape：Selections From the Taikang Collection 2019, curated by Tang Xin, No. A07, 798 Art Zone, Beijing, 2019
Between Utopia and Dystopia, curated by Manuela Lietti, Massimo De Carlo, Hong Kong, 2017
Pull Left: Not Always Right tour exhibitions, curated by Tang Xin, Urban Arts Space, Ohio State University, Columbus; Hillstrom Museum of Art, Gustavus Adolphus College, St Peter; The Trout Gallery, Dickinson College + The Rose Lehrman Art Gallery & Fenêtre Gallery, Central Pennsylvania's Community College (HACC), Pennsylvania, 2014~2015
Pessimism or Resistance ?, curated by Tang Xin, Taikang Space, Beijing, 2013
Come Rain or Come Shine, curated by Lu Jing, Aike Gallery(formally known as Aike Dellarco Gallery), Shanghai, 2013
