As part of the Creative Thinking Project’s ‘Creativity Across Cultures’ series, we showcase three artists from the ‘2019 Chinese Young Artist Residence Programme.’ The central element of the exhibition revolves around luscious intoxications of ‘introductory experiences’: to be at once captivated and captive in one’s involvement with something. The completed works were shown at Hu’s Farm as part of the ‘Amuse Bouche’ exhibition.
Shen Piji
Shen Piji is a mixed-media contemporary artist whose work involves sounds, installations, videos, performances, paintings and poetry. Once a punk rocker heavily involved in avant-garde music, Shen left his punk band ‘Sunflower’ when he fell in love with the guqin. In 2015 he placed five pottery jars into a shallow pool in his studio which soon attracted a group of frogs named Hylarana Daunchina. He used the difference sizes of the jars to change the volume and frogs’ tone, mixing those sounds with the sound of the Guqin playing. Recently he gave a ‘Ted Talk’ on his ‘Conversations with frogs.’
Shen also teaches and sometimes blindfolds his students to ‘feel the music.’ He lives and works in Shenzhen, China.
What does creativity mean to you?
My creativity is sourced from nature. Nature’s secret will never be discovered by humans, therefore we need to learn from it. To be creative, I need to be ready to put myself into a state where I can cooperate with my skills. My new works are created with an empty mind.
What is your creative process?
In addition to my designs, I want to have more spontaneous moments where uncontrollable things happen which will create unpredictable works. There will always be happy accidents. The integration of life and art, the harmonized relationship between humans and nature made me realize that the world is actually very small. We humans are so insignificant.
What does creativity mean in Chinese culture?
It is such a powerful moment when heaven, earth and people merge with nature. Yet I am only discovering works, I am not creating. My works are not mine, they belong to the world. Compared to the world, I am no longer important.
Below – Shen’s ‘Impression of New Zealand.’
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