Dai Guangyu

You Were Here

A Brief Note On Performance Artwork You Were Here

Text: Dai Guangyu

The face of the yellow race (i.e. me) is painted white, and then participants dip their fingers into black seal paste to then stamp (qián yìn) my face with the pad of their fingertip. My white face turns slowly black throughout this process. The process of changing my face from yellow to white and then to black through these performative actions enables participants and observers to appreciate nuanced linguistic reference and mental complexity in this artwork.

Undoubtedly, the transformation of the face through yellow, white, and into black translates as a series of metamorphoses involving signifier and signified in a semiotic chain. Additionally, holding the vessels of black seal paste in the palms of my hands serves as an anchoring to the platformed white chair upon which I sit upright like a sculpture. This generates an interactive element inducing semiotic metamorphoses expressing both static and dynamic modes of a system harboring infinite thought drawn taut to be expressed.

This semiotic complexity and interaction with the world epitomize the multiple dimensionalities of performance art. As an artistic medium, performance art employs a visual language which penetrates in potentia, like an arrow tightly pulled on the string, a potentiality which will inevitably be unleashed. Hence, in addition to the penetrating linguistic power of art, the distinctive interpretive approach of performance art fosters a tacit understanding between artist and audience throughout the live artwork, more smoothly approaching the core of discourse, avoiding excessive language barriers or obfuscation.

Geographies of Feeling Art Exhibition Site

Photo Credit：Zhang Hua

Indeed, distinct beings and bodies meet on site, with bodily interactions mediating this communion, inevitably forming a unique relationship through dialogue. This presents an opportunity for manifestation of clear thinking and open-mindedness, wherein the mechanism of authentic discourse begins.Without overthinking it, these most basic observations engage in such interactive forms as to be able to open the gates of thought, allowing ideas to collide in a free exchange, mutually stimulating one another, thereby serving as a beneficial form of communication.
Without overthinking it, these most basic observations engage in such interactive forms as to be able to open the gates of thought, allowing ideas to collide in a free exchange, mutually stimulating one another, thereby serving as a beneficial form of communication.
The live experience of performance art reflects how the nature of performance art maximally opens the valve of bodily expression, mobilizing the most sensitive and emotional parts of people’s nervous systems. Through the conveyance of body language, one can freely express and respond.
Moreover, the strong and intuitive expression of performance art breaks through and illuminates people’s hidden thoughts and emotions. How transparent this expression of thought is! You Were Here was created in response to the curatorial theme of Geographies of Feeling, highlighting the somatic nature of emotion in performative actions.
Indeed, distinct beings and bodies meet on site, with bodily interactions mediating this communion, inevitably forming a unique relationship through dialogue. This presents an opportunity for manifestation of clear thinking and open-mindedness, wherein the mechanism of authentic discourse begins.Without overthinking it, these most basic observations engage in such interactive forms as to be able to open the gates of thought, allowing ideas to collide in a free exchange, mutually stimulating one another, thereby serving as a beneficial form of communication.
Without overthinking it, these most basic observations engage in such interactive forms as to be able to open the gates of thought, allowing ideas to collide in a free exchange, mutually stimulating one another, thereby serving as a beneficial form of communication.
The live experience of performance art reflects how the nature of performance art maximally opens the valve of bodily expression, mobilizing the most sensitive and emotional parts of people’s nervous systems. Through the conveyance of body language, one can freely express and respond.
Moreover, the strong and intuitive expression of performance art breaks through and illuminates people’s hidden thoughts and emotions. How transparent this expression of thought is! You Were Here was created in response to the curatorial theme of Geographies of Feeling, highlighting the somatic nature of emotion in performative actions.

Perhaps Dr. Sophia Kidd invited me to perform You Were Here at the opening ceremony of Geographies of Feeling because she sensed an awareness and sensibility in me concerning the body, feelings, and performance art. This Parallel Exhibition of the 2023 Chengdu Biennale is not only about my presence or your presence, but also about everyone’s involvement in the thinking, feeling, and conversations generated through this exhibition’s body of work. Needless to say—you were here.

November 11, 2023

Photo Credit：Zhang Hua，A4 Art Museum

Yan Er Lu Arts International

Scan the code to read more

Subscribe
Become a member