The work is a collaboration between the audience and myself.
The audience is asked to divide into 2 groups – English- and Chinese-speaking – and 450 ‘man tou’ (steamed buns) are then distributed to everyone.
I whisper a fable into the ear of the first audience member of both groups, who then passes the fable onto the next audience member, mouth to ear, mouth to ear.
The fable is about a country in this world.
The audiences then write down the fable on the ‘man tou’ – whatever version is heard – as well as their reaction to this fable.
The ‘man tou’, now covered with handwriting, is placed into 450 holes forming a rectangular ‘man tou’ flag.
The fable is
‘China is to become a developed country by 2080’
– the title of an article in the People’s Daily newspaper.
2080
May 2005, DIAF Festival BeijingPerformance 45 minsVideo DocumentationPhoto
elsePerformance metouch