Night Wander II by Li Chen

NIGHT WANDER II 2023, Filmfoto Work by Li Chen

CONTENT ARTIST STATEMENT·······················2 THE IMAGE • Installation Layout ······················ 4 • Explanatory Note ························5 - 6 • Individual Images ······················· 7 - 24

THE ANIMATED TEXT • Prologue ·································· 27 • Main ········································ 28 • Selected Translation···················· 29 - 30

SPATIAL PRESENTATION ·············· 31 - 34

Night Wander II by Li Chen

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Artist Statement: Reflecting on my professional experience of making commercials and propaganda projects, I realised that they are very similar, both selling us ideas about what is good for us and how we should be, using the same linguistic techniques. Their narratives fill the cityscape, but sometimes at night their material devices do not always go in exactly the same direction. A fissure is created, for doubt and speculation.

Li Chen

Night Wander II by Li Chen

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THE IMAGES

Night Wander II by Li Chen

Installation layout. In a dark room, Photos are mounted on a black wall, forming a landscape of images. They are lit individually by mapped video projection.

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Night Wander II by Li Chen

Explanatory Note: #1 - 6. Photos were shot near the Site of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

The Shanghainese traditional residential building where the congress was held is now a historical museum. The statue in the park nearby depicts a scene of the intellectuals introducing communism to the workers. #7 - 12. Photos were shot at West Bund Site, now a zone of contemporary art and design, previously an industrial area where the migrants and peasants became dock workers and factory workers. #13 - 18. Photos were shot on several commercial streets in central Shanghai.

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Night Wander II by Li Chen

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#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

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#12

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#13

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THE ANIMATED TEXT

Night Wander II by Li Chen

PROLOGUE - Chinese political propaganda taglines (in white) and commercial advertisement (in red) appear one by one fast to bombard the image landscape for 30 seconds.

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Night Wander II by Li Chen

MAIN - The text "WANDER AWAY FROM THE STORIES THAT CONTROL YOUR MIND” enters and and moves in a snake-like movement across the landscape of images.

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Night Wander II by Li Chen

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Selected Translation: Chinese Communist Party Political Propaganda 1940s-2020s

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• 为⼈⺠服务 Serve the people.

• 没有共产党，就没有新中国 Without the Communist Party, there would be no new China.

• 中国共产党万岁 Long live the Chinese Communist Party.

• 知识分⼦必须与⼯农群众相结合 Intellectuals must unite with the working class and peasants.

• 下定决⼼，不怕牺牲，排除万难，去争取胜利 Make a rm determination, fear no sacri ce, overcome all di culties, and strive for victory.

• ⽂化⼤⾰命万岁 Long live the Cultural Revolution.

• 改⾰开放 Reform and opening up.

• 社会主义和谐社会 Socialist harmonious society.

• ⾯向现代化，⾯向世界，⾯向未来 Facing modernization, facing the world, facing the future.

• 建设有中国特⾊社会主义 Building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

• ⼀国两制是基本国策 One country, two systems is the basic national policy.

• 计划⽣育，⼈⼈有责 Family planning, everyone is responsible.

• 计划⽣育好 政府来养⽼ Family planning is good, the government will take care of old age.

• 坚持以⻢克思列宁主义、⽑泽东思想、邓⼩平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学 发展观、习近平新时代中国特⾊社会主义思想为指导！ Adhere to the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents, the Scienti c Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era! • 实现中华⺠族伟⼤复兴!

Realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!

• 中国梦 Chinese Dream.

Night Wander II by Li Chen

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Selected Translation: Commercial Advertisement 2020s

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• 光明的未来，我为你守护 Protecting a bright future for you.

• 不要因为⾃⼰害怕，就放弃难⾛的路 Don't give up on di cult roads just because you're afraid.

• ⼗六年后你的⽪肤会像⼗六年前⼀样嫩 Your skin will be as tender as it was sixteen years ago.

• 买进美好⽣活 Buy into a beautiful life.

• 想要⽆可取代，就必须时刻与众不同 In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be di erent.

• 只管去做 Just do it.

• 没有不可能 Impossible is nothing.

• 勇敢做⾃⼰ For the brave.

• 我就喜欢 I’m lovin’ it.

• 你值得拥有 Because you’re worth it.

• 让城市佳倍精彩 Make the city more exciting.

• 向上，就有⽅向 Always move forward, and you will nd your way.

• 世界品质，天⽣要强 World-class quality, naturally strong.

• 您⼿中的世界五百强 The world's top 500 companies in your hands.

• 让进步发声 Let progress make its voice heard.

• 没有不可能 Nothing is impossible.

• 你爱我我爱你 You love me love you.

• 为你创造⽆限可能的美丽新世界 Bring the world to bloom.

Night Wander II by Li Chen

SPATIAL PRESENTATION Dimension: 5m x3.5m Material: photographic prints, video projection, black cloth. in Li Chen’s solo exhibition Haunting Artificial Landscape ACENTRICSPACE, Shanghai. 3 -19 Dec, 2023

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Night Wander II by Li Chen

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Night Wander II by Li Chen

In a private setting, the presentation of the work started with showing the images with PROLOGUE TEXT. Every five minute, the text bombard interrupted the image viewing.

Due to censorship, this version could not be shown publicly, however it’s important to have it as the beginning of presenting the work.

Watch video documentation (prologue) : https://vimeo.com/912163526 Password: filmfoto

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Night Wander II by Li Chen

After the private viewing session, the presentation of the work continued with showing the images with MAIN TEXT. Every five minute, the text travelled through the inbetween space of the images.

Watch video documentation (part 2): https://vimeo.com/912163983 Password: filmfoto

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