The future is the reverse of falling backward;
The past is the reverse of moving forward.
Backward
Shanghai (2022)
Single Channel Video
Backward is a single-channel documented video in which the camera tracks me walking in the area of The Old City of Shanghai (上海老城厢). It is the traditional urban core of Shanghai nearing foreign concessions in Shanghai. With the ongoing urban renewal in this area, this area is facing demolition. At first glance, everything appears normal. However, as the video progresses, subtle details such as moving traffic and commuters begin to reveal the simple illusion created by the performance and video editing: I am walking backwards, and the film is played in reverse. Walking allows me to perceive and understand the dynamic nature of urban spaces. I aim to examine the visceral perception of time and interrogate the disorientation of space, time, memory and body in the process of urban regeneration via walking backwards.
在《前进的,后退的(上海)》中,我在上海黄浦区规划了一条行走路径,从十六铺到苏州河,我一路行走,一路观看城市中发生的一切,包括琐碎的日常生活和城市更新建设。镜头追踪着我行走的轨迹,描绘城市中那些寄存着我们共同记忆的公共建筑,地点。这是倒走的练习持续到第三年,此前我还在长沙及重庆进行了这一行为练习,步行让我感知和理解城市空间的动态本质。这一次的记录影像,我将注意点更多的放在对城市生活的描绘,而不是行为本身,我希望行走可以像一条串起城市记忆珍珠的线,同时,通过倒着走的方式来审视对时间的本能感知,同时探讨城市更新过程中空间、时间、记忆和身体的迷失。
Exhibition view in Biennale Sztuki Mediow WRO, 2019