Artists tackle ten existential questions
Lu Jie is director of the Long March Project, which takes contemporary Chinese and international artists to work in remote communities along the route of Mao Zedong’s historic trek. For more information, log on to the Long March gallery’s website (www.longmarchspace.com).
1 Does art make a difference?
It makes a huge difference. I can give you an example. One of our projects was inspired by the story of female Red Army soldiers who joined the Long March and had to give their babies away due to the difficulty of the journey. An artist called Jiang Jie made 20 sculptures of babies and asked families living along the route to adopt them. By taking conceptual art into their homes, families from different classes, ethnicities and backgrounds became connected.
2 Should politics and art mix?
They are impossible to separate.
3 Is your work for the many or for the few?
Again, I would not separate the two. The Long March works with rural communities, and also with international art biennales. It provides a means of connecting these different worlds.
4 If you were world leader, what would be your first law?
Everyone should undertake their own Long March. That means educating and sharing.
5 Who would be your top advisers?
Dr Ling Long Jiang, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine from my home town. He had high ethical and spiritual values, and served his community. Rather than grand figures, invisible individuals are the ones who make real change.
6 What, if anything, would you censor?
We should limit censorship as much as possible. There is a great misconception that it is a bigger problem in China than it is elsewhere, which is totally untrue.
7 If you had to banish one public figure, who would it be?
Myself. Once you become a public figure, it is important to liberate yourself from that image.
8 What are the rules that you live by?
Ideals and reality do not always conflict. The Long March ideology is that there should be no boundaries.
9 Do you love your country?
When I talk about my country, I mean the whole human race. I was born in China, but I am a citizen of the US. I don’t categorise myself.
10 Are we all doomed?
We are doomed to be positive. All the challenges only spur us on.
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