Succour for the Spirit – Issue 14
Sunday Reading with multidisciplinary artist
Jenny Zhe Chang
Talking about walks around Port Phillip Bay, Angkor Wot, the ‘I-Ching’, Antonín Dvořák, 蔭茶, and more.
Photograph of Jenny Zhe Chang at work
“I am reading “The Book of Changes” or “I-Ching”, which is one of the most influential classical Chinese texts.
The basic principles are:
1) (变易 ) everything changes constantly;
2) (简易) change through simplification; and,
3) (不易) even though everything changes, certain things may not. ”
In Conversation
with Jenny Zhe Chang (JZC) & correspondences’ Emma Thomson (ET).
Nature, food or art?
JZC—Nature / Place
Favourite place near home
JZC—I love going to the beach near my home. We walk our dog there almost every day. Every time I see the blue water of Port Phillip Bay, I immediately feel calm and peaceful. I love walking in the sunshine and smelling the fresh sea breeze, especially after some rain.
Place you're dreaming of going
JZC—Angkor Wat is one place I've dreamed of visiting. The first time I heard about it was watching interviews of Joseph Campbell (1904-1987), an American writer and professor of literature who specialised in comparative mythology and religion. In my research, I have also come across the writings of the French naturalist and explorer of the mid-19th century Henri Mouhot (1826-1861) who once wrote that Angkor Wat is a temple to "rival that of Solomon". According to Mouhot, Angkor Wat should take "its honourable place amongst the world's most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome". Such a comment makes me yearn for a visit to experience its beauty myself!
ET—Check out this amazing overview by National Geographic, complete with stunning videography. Then press the button below to visit ‘Virtual Angkor’, a groundbreaking collaboration between Virtual History Specialists, Archaeologists and Historians designed to bring the Cambodian metropolis of Angkor to life.
What are you reading?
JZC—I am reading “The Book of Changes” or “I-Ching” (also known as Yi Jing), which is one of the most influential classical Chinese texts. It is not easy to learn and very hard to master. There are three basic principles:
1) (变易 ) everything changes constantly;
2) (简易) change through simplification; and,
3) (不易) even though everything changes, certain things may not.
There are some interesting takeaways from learning the I-Ching. Firstly, you cannot learn the I-Ching in one night - and once you start, you cannot stop! Secondly, you need to keep an open mind - almost playful - to process the principles. The third and most interesting point is Confucius’ conclusion after he studied the I-Ching which is “洁静精微”. The direct translation is “clean, quiet, refined and micro”, which ties into the fundamental Confucian values of charity, honesty, integrity and politeness.
The I-Ching principle “everything changes constantly” has affected me during the pandemic. I have started to experiment in the digital format to express myself. I believe that after this unprecedented time has passed, I will have improved and changed both in my art and myself.
All-time favourite musician?
JZC—My all-time favourite piece is Symphony ‘No. 9 New World’ by classical composer Antonín Dvořák.
ET—To listen to Dvořák piece as performed by the Munich Philharmonic, press play at your left. Other examples of Dvořák’s music can be accessed via our playlist below. Note:—Mobile readers —Press ‘Listen in browser’ to avoid being re-directed to Soundcloud.
Tell us about one of your creations
Today we’re discussing 点点心意，珍珠情 / Dim Sum Milk Tea 2018, the site-specific exhibition Chang presented in 2018 as part of South Wind Rises, Asia-Pacific Contemporary Art Exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan.
What was the starting point?
JZC— The starting point for the artwork came from an earlier installation which I created for MAV Mapping Melbourne. Entitled Yum Cha – Sharing Monuments 2017, the artwork displayed 60 bamboo steamers (baskets used for steaming food). Each steamer contained an image of ‘dim sum’ (dumplings enjoyed during Yum Cha). On the reverse side, the text shared the history of Yum Cha along with dim sum recipes gathered from the Chinese Australian community in Melbourne. The colourful dim sum images represented the diversity of our society, while the red text symbolised the collective blood of our humanity. Although we may come from different cultures or sub-cultures, at the core we have the same red blood flowing through us.
The genesis for the work came from my love of food and especially "蔭茶" (Yum Cha) which translates literally to mean "drink tea". In Chinese culture since ancient times, we have gathered together with friends and loved ones to drink tea, eat "點心" (dim sum) and talk together. For Chinese migrants, as for migrants and peoples from other cultures, eating food together is a way of celebrating cultural ties and sharing our love. Indeed, the literal translation of 點心 is "touches the heart gently". As a migrant myself, much of my practice investigates transcultural connection and belonging through the interlinking ideas of food, migration and family. After all, food is a universal concern; it is something we all need and enjoy regardless of cultural background.
My installations tend to be site-responsive. So for 点点心意，珍珠情 / Dim Sum Milk Tea 2018 in Taipei, I worked with the local communities to gather recipes for dim sum and 珍珠奶茶 or 'bubble tea' (also known as 'pearl milk tea' or 'boba'). Bubble tea is a tea-based drink which originated in Taiwan during the 1980s and remains very popular in Taiwan and throughout Southern and South-East Asia today.
The artwork featured 100 suspended bamboo steamers. Each steamer contained two pictorial representations. On one side was an image of a Taiwanese dim sum treat. On the reverse side was a picture of a local bubble tea and fruits from my home in Australia which are today used to infuse the tea and create new flavours. The baskets were hung in rows from the ceiling with enough space for walking through and appreciating each morsel.
What were you striving to explore?
ET— One thing I noticed was the artwork’s design. Each steamer hung perfectly equidistant to the next, encouraging the viewer to trace the eye or walk from left to right, right to left, front to back or back to front, noticing the differences or similarities between the visualisations of the recipes/treats. One could also stand back and appreciate the installation as a whole; a sequence of interconnecting rows. This capacity for shifting perspective brings a sense of ritualised flexibility to the process of looking. It encourages the viewer to notice both the individual and the collective recipes/stories that; distinguish between and connect us simultaneously. There is also a sense of ritual in your choice of subject matter; i.e. the ritual of gathering together regularly to Yum Cha!
Yum Cha is a ritualised space for sharing stories and much-loved recipes which remind us of who we are and from where we come. At the same time, eating together can also be a way of disarming boundaries and preconceived ideas. Can you comment a little on this and tell us about what you were striving to explore?
JZC—Yes! I am very interested in this idea of ritual and how it shapes our perception. My installations tend to investigate the intersections between Eastern and Western ways of being. In Taiwan, I wanted to explore the intersections between different Chinese sub-cultures; which was appropriate to the site of the exhibition. I did this by creating an artwork that combined the ancient Chinese ritual of Yum Cha, with the contemporary innovation of bubble tea which has become an important symbol of Taiwanese identity. In Taiwan, national cultural identity is a complex, politicised matter, and this is reflected in the movements of the Taiwanese diaspora.
Taiwanese immigrants have brought bubble tea to America, Australia and elsewhere in Southern and South East Asia, and this has resulted in new communities, recipes and understandings of Taiwanese culture. Whilst I wanted to reflect the evolving contemporary nature of food culture, I also wanted to express a sense of respect and gratitude for tradition.
This desire informed my decision to hang the baskets slightly higher than usual. In the pagoda space of the former temple in which the artwork was exhibited, this felt appropriate. It drew the viewer's eye upwards to appreciate the expansive ceiling space above the steamers, creating a sense of reverence and respect for culture. So this taps into your earlier comment. The illustrations were also framed in a traditional Chinese window. This adherence to tradition was an acknowledgement of the strength of Chinese culture, which remains strong and is at the heart of innovation.
The visualisations of the bubble teas combined with the traditional Cantonese dim sum treats highlighted the varied tastes of Chinese communities in Taiwan. In bringing together the two, I hoped to create a space for thinking about the fluidity of cultural identity. At the same time, the artwork is a reminder of the togetherness of the act of eating. We are all Chinese, and this is reflected in our love of Yum Cha, but we are also unique, and there are differences between us in our tastes. As you said, the design of the installation supports this process of thinking by initiating the viewer to notice both the general and the particular that connects us —touching our heart gently as the literal translation of dim sum / 點心 says.
What are you working on now that we can learn more about?
JZC—Lately, I’ve been researching for my new work to be presented as part of Silent Dialogue, which re-contextualises and presents a variation of the Yum Cha installation. In the age of COVID-19, where many people have been physically distanced or separated from their loved ones or extended community network, the emphasis will be upon ‘healing’ or ‘nourishing’ recipes that have been passed down through generations across cultures to support or nurture us during times of hardship.
Thanks to the support of MAV, I have also lately produced an AV work called Yum Cha - Together! 2020, which enabled me to extend upon my research and inquiries into transcultural connection and belonging as well as interlinking ideas of food, migration and family. The medical research shows that eating prompts the brain to release ‘feel good’ endorphins. All of my artworks tend to be responsive to site. So, while we are all isolated at home, I wanted to create something that captured the spirit of my previous installations but could be embraced virtually to remind us of food and togetherness; that ‘feel good’ experience of eating together.
What else can supporters do?
Pre-purchase our book for Silent Dialogue. Featuring twelve original pieces of writing by some of the country's finest writers alongside beautiful imagery from our participating visual artists, it is going to be special. Purchase before 30/11 and you will be invited to join us for the exhibition launch next year.
All pre-purchases go towards funding our exhibition. Every book purchase makes a difference.
Follow Jenny Zhe Chang at: i @jzhechang and f @jennyzhechang
Follow Silent Dialogue at: silent_dialogue & f: silentdialogueevents.
ET—Press the play button above to walk through a brief video of Chang's artwork, Beyond, A Century's Love 2016 installed at T3 International Art Zone Contemporary Museum, Beijing. Featuring 1,000 suspended pointe shoes collected from the National Ballet of China and the wider community, the artwork explored notions of love, beauty, and cultural identity.
Biography
Exhibiting artist Jenny Zhe Chang creates sculptures, paper cuttings, paintings and installations that investigate the interaction between Eastern and Western ways of being. Her solo exhibitions include: Love! From head to toe (Tian Qiao Theatre, 2019); South Wind Rises (National Taiwan Arts Education Centre, 2018); and, Beyond, A Century’s Love (T3 International Art Zone Contemporary Museum, 2016), to name but a few. Since 2001, Chang has also participated in more than 52 group shows in Australia, Japan, and the US. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) from the Victorian College of Arts, University of Melbourne and a Master of Computing from Monash University.
Image credit (banner): Port Phillip Bay. Photograph by Jenny Zhe Chang
