Clare Chun-yu Liu: Artist Talk and Reading Workshop

In response to the screening of her films ‘This is China of a particular sort, I do not know’ and ‘Another beautiful dream’ as part of 'An Inverted Journey of Counter Archiving', Clare Chun-yu Liu will discuss her practice-based research on the European cultural heritage of chinoiserie. The discussion will delve into questions such as: How does one respond to a historical representation of themselves from a contemporary perspective? How can identity be approached within a diasporic framework while participating in the postcolonial review of history? And how can we reinterpret pre-colonial Sino-British history in relation to chinoiserie from a postcolonial and Taiwanese/diasporic Chinese perspective?

Following the talk, an in-person reading session will be led by the artist. Informed by the two films, the session will explore diasporic Chinese identity, (self-)representation, and the relationship between self and other. We will collectively read excerpts from Ien Ang’s ‘On Not Speaking Chinese’ and Trinh T. Minh-ha’s ‘When the Moon Waxes Red’. Autobiographical in nature, Ang’s texts provide insight into the complexity of belonging in the context of multiple migrations across generations and the urgency to articulate individual agency. Trinh’s philosophical and poetic writing addresses the problematic practice of representation in the Western tradition of anthropology. Through these texts, we will reflect on subjectivity, authenticity, and the ongoing journey of finding one’s place in a diasporic and transnational setting.

List of texts:

Excerpts from ‘On not speaking Chinese’ by Ien Ang (2001)

Excerpts from ‘When the Moon Waxes Red’ by Trinh T. Minh-ha (1991)

There is no requirement to read the texts beforehand, as we will be reading collectively – with each person taking turns to read one paragraph at a time. Copies of the reading will be distributed during the session.

This event is a part of esea contemporary's Summer Programme ‘From(Counter-)Archives to Activation.’ Entering the second year of programming following the institute’s transformation, we find it opportune to activate our platform through the lens of archives and counter-archives in collaboration with our extensive network of collaborators and co-workers. Throughout our summer programme, from May to August, 2024, we will actively listen to, engage with, speak out about, write down, touch upon, and look into a diverse array of archival and counter-archival materials. This journey aims to highlight a multiplicity of perspectives while charting a course towards a more outward- and forward-looking framework. As we explore these materials, we remain attuned to the complexities of power dynamics, acknowledging the agency to navigate these exchanges with openness and respect. Through our collaboration with artists, curators, thinkers, scholars, and communities, we seek to foreground pluralistic narratives and empower individuals to shape their own histories.

About Clare Chun-yu Liu

Clare Chun-yu Liu is a UK-based Taiwanese artist filmmaker, researcher and lecturer. She is Research Fellow at Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany and was Vice-Chancellor PhD Scholar at Manchester School of Art, UK. She is interested in the Chinese diaspora and identity with a focus on lived experience and oral history. Clare has been producing postcolonial, cross-cultural and diasporic Chinese readings of chinoiserie through fictional ethnographic filmmaking. She has presented her research at Oxford University, Central Saint Martins, and University College London. Her article on the Royal Pavilion Brighton has been published by the British Art Network. Clare’s films have been shown internationally, including at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; EXiS, Seoul; Image Forum Festival, Japan; Kasseler Dokfest, Germany; Taipei International Video Art Exhibition, Taiwan; Goethe Institut Lisbon; and Ming Sheng Art Museum, Beijing. Her films are in collections at VIDEOTAGE Media Art Collection in Hong Kong, China, and Asian Film Archive in Singapore.

Image Credits:

1. ‘This is China of a particular sort, I do not know’, Clare Chun-yu Liu, 2020, 34:01 min, video still, image courtesy of the artist.
2. ‘Another beautiful dream’, Clare Chun-yu Liu, 2022, 14 min, video still.
3. ‘This is China of a particular sort, I do not know’, Clare Chun-yu Liu, 2020, 34:01 min, video still.
4. Courtesy of the artist.

About esea contemporary

esea contemporary is the UK’s only non-profit art centre specialising in presenting and platforming artists and art practices that identify with and are informed by East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) cultural backgrounds.

esea contemporary is situated in an award-winning building in the heart of Manchester, home to one of the largest East Asian populations in the UK. Since its inauguration as a community-oriented visual arts festival in 1986, esea contemporary has continuously evolved to establish itself as a dynamic and engaging space for cross-cultural exchanges in the British art scene, as well as in a global context.

esea contemporary aims to increase the visibility of contemporary art practices from the East and Southeast Asian communities and their diasporas. It is a site for forward-thinking art programmes that beyond exhibitions also include commissions, research, residencies, publishing, and a wide range of vibrant public events. esea contemporary values creativity, compassion, interconnectedness, and collectivity in implementing its mission.

Learn more at: www.eseacontemporary.org

Photo by Joe Smith.

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