When talking about my work, I should mention my experience in China where I completed an art training that was traditional in both the cultural and technical senses. Art school in China advocated particular styles from Chinese tradition or else it emphasised realistic drawing techniques. In these set patterns we did not think much about art itself or even about the language of art. Stress lay above all on “what” and not on “why”. Thus in 1995 I chose to study and work in Europe. Europe is different; artists stress pure art. They always ask “why” first. I try to find my position between two cultures; between my earlier background and new.
I can state several reasons for doing the series “post costume”. Firstly, a traditional Chinese costume, which is almost an antique in China today, is one of the masterpieces of Eastern culture, itself a notion of utter perfection. So it is a very difficult subject. Secondly, my mother was a Chinese opera actress, while my father worked on stage scenery. Thus I grew up with Chinese opera and have always loved it since my earliest memory. Thirdly, Chinese opera is disappearing amid modern media. It has only become a voice of the past after a painful process of destruction. A Chinese saying also stresses the notion of “no pain, no gain”. So, my process of a costume is also starting with a painful searing in two of a treasured costume, then I chose the front and back sides, the lining, pieces of patterning, sweat stains, or take part of the form and so on. In this way I enter a brand new process of art, a process of destroying an old culture to create something new. What was a costume is also my art.
