October 21, 2002

11:39 PM

The Long March - A Walking Visual Display. "Its aim is to take both contemporary Chinese and international art to a sector of the Chinese public that is rarely, perhaps never, exposed to such work. Specifically, we will bring art to those people who live in communities along the route of Mao Zedong's historic Long March. Mao's 'March' symbolized the deliverance of the Communist ideal to the Chinese proletariat. It is with this symbolism in mind that we now choose to march contemporary art out to China's peripheral population." via ArtKrush
posted by Stan Chin (5 comments total)

Unfortunately the project was ended recently on the 12th leg, but the exhaustive journaling on the website is fantastic. Be sure to check out the Curatorial Plans for each stop, and also the journals. I was particularly fascinated with the Zunyi symposium, read the trasncripts discussing the art curating system in China:

The curatorial practice of this particular museum, especially the narration and interpretation through visual materials to depict 'True History,' has been challenged since the day the museum was built. Due to the frequent changes of party leadership in the last fifty years, the writing of history and hence the presentation of history has been open to interpretation.
posted by Stan Chin at 11:59 PM on October 21, 2002

Next project: Adolf Hitler And Eva Braun's Trip To Their Romantic Cabin In The Mountains -- A Walking Visual Display

Aww, how cute.
posted by dagny at 4:21 AM on October 22, 2002

(I clicked the link, but the language pack dialog keeps crashing my browser)

I thought the Long March was all about fleeing from Chiang Kai-Shek's army, and that it was horrible ordeal (not, indeed, a deliberate foray into the peasant countryside to spread Communism).

Can anyone clarify?
posted by Karl at 6:28 AM on October 22, 2002

Not such a hot pictorial journey in terms of image quality or subject matter.
posted by hama7 at 7:16 AM on October 22, 2002

These artists are subverting the ideology of the "Long March" in their work, in fact bringing elements of individuality and freedom along the route that has sentimental status within Chinese Communist history, but which has been largely left behind in the recent drive toward modernization. Projects like this amaze me because their seem to exist just below the radar of the government: just patriotic enough not to be labeled as 'subversive', but retaining a strong sense of irony to slip their message in. Can't wait to see the final pictures.
posted by sudasana at 7:59 AM on October 22, 2002