Real-not-real-video

Recently working on a video on Auslan (the sign language of Australia). There are two parts. The first one is a "real" educational work teaching people how to sign to babies. Now it's getting popular for young parents to communicate with their little ones in sign because of many benefits found in recent researches. The second part is "not-real", a fiction of a mother signing to her baby of messages of our real world. Luckily I have all actors now.

Teacher Laisarn

70% Urban

I just visited the National Museum of Australia today and really got something different from when I biked past it the other day. I guess it somehow built as a touristic attraction but it's no compromise to its substance. Seeing inside it's far more than a photo spot.

I like it in a way not too didactic although all the time you sensed the political correctness as the national museum would have. The racial issue is something so serious here in Australia but is simply overlooked and ignored in Hong Kong. It's so much a memorial for reconciliation. After all, instead of being overwhelmed by all those historical artifacts, there are quite a lot of contemporary art works here. Art works more often pose questions instead of answers. Although the tone is quite set, audience could still have this space to think about the issue.

Especially I like the temporary exhibition "70% Urban". Unfortunately I walked to that part when the museum was almost closed. in a pretty rush I walked thro' the show. It's such dilemma and tension between tradition and new in many post-colonial discourses. It's a resonance of the rethink of orientalism in Asia which a lot of internalization takes place because of globalization and tourism. You always have this arguement of authenticity..... I probably have a revisit as the good thing of this museum is free admission.

One of touching display is about the 70s movement for civil rights and social justice. There was an Aboriginal Tent Embassy set off the old parlament house, where now has become a listed heritage. It means a piece of history of thiry years. Now look at our Queen's Pier. Where is the gut of our government to preserve our history (of both of the colony and the civil rights)?

Who needs development?

Moon of the day

Night ride

Last night I went to a deaf kids' parents meeting as the beginning of my research of the sign language here. It's held in Holder, a suburb 12 km away from the city of Canberra. For a moment I was thinking to go by bike all the way there. Then when I thought of the highway, it seemed not a good idea to do it at night. However, for its remote location and rare bus services, I decided to take the bus to the Woden Interchange and continued with my bike for something like 5km. All sounds not too bad. But when I have had my quick sandwich after the bus journey and walked out from the mall, I found myself right next to the highway. Having spent sometime in my google map, I started my bike journey at night. I was leaving the main traffic and the area turned so silent. I came to a road where was no street lamp. In the darkness, I recognized my way with the starlight and the light from the remote houses. I had to stopped when there was a car coming as its frontlight was just too bright for me to see anything. Then there were ups and downs that you never realized on the map. For a moment I was having the picture of Tour de France in my mind. However, there was a slope where I simply had to get off my bike. Actually the silence and stars were very enjoyable. I found myself in the countryside! For this journey of 5km from the city to the suburb via a no-man's land, I spent 1 hour & 15 min.

The meeting was interesting though, it's a different story. Once in my mind: " Would there be anyone who might give me a ride back?".

I returned alone, on the same route to the bus interchange. This time, it was only 30 min!

Art & death

To my ignorance, I have just learnt about the death of Dominican/Mexican curator Priamo Lozada who passed away on June 14 in Venice(Mestre). I had no knowledge of him. From the news I got, he was the curator of the new Mexico Pavillion in Venice Biennale this year. Many people recommended the Mexico Pavillion although I haven't got a chance to visit it. Many people went to the opening of Venice Biennale as part of the Grand Tour but it was also this sadness a curator died by accident during his time in Venice when most were partying around.

Intimate shots

Just received an invitation to take part in a group show in Spazio Paraggi. It's about intimacy related to certain erotica. I am thinking to extract something from the Domestica Invisibile series. A few digital trials here. Are they erotic?