This is a long and detailed interview between two artists, the first being an unidentified woman and the second being Liu Shiming. The conversation spans several topics, including their individual artistic practices, their approaches to materiality and memory, and the role of art in society.
**Artistic Practices**
The unidentified artist discusses her work as a painter, film maker, and poet. She emphasizes the importance of materiality and memory in her practice, using techniques such as overexposure and drift in time to create images that are "porous" and "subject to the rhythms and textures of the world". She also mentions her interest in the role of the camera as a porous body, which allows her to collaborate with the material of film itself.
Liu Shiming discusses his work as a sculptor. He emphasizes the importance of sensitivity and immediacy in his practice, using materials such as clay to create works that are deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Chinese women. He mentions that he chooses to work with clay because it demands a great deal of physical exertion, which allows him to connect with the material on a deeper level.
**Materiality and Memory**
Both artists emphasize the importance of materiality and memory in their practice. They discuss how these elements can be used to convey complex emotions and experiences, and how they can be used to create images that are both deeply personal and universally relatable.
The unidentified artist mentions her use of materials such as mud, bark, and sap in her work, which allows her to create images that are "subject to the rhythms and textures of the world". She also discusses how these materials can be used to convey a sense of exhaustion and resilience, which is closely tied to the experiences of women.
Liu Shiming mentions his use of clay as a medium, which allows him to connect with the material on a deeper level. He discusses how this connection enables him to create works that are deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Chinese women.
**Role of Art**
The conversation also touches on the role of art in society. The unidentified artist emphasizes the importance of art as a way to broaden our horizons and expand empathy toward people and life forms that fall outside our own frames of reference. She mentions her previous exhibition, "Stop Right There", which used hybrid portraits to create a space for confrontation and recognition.
Liu Shiming discusses his interest in creating artworks that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. He emphasizes the importance of art as an ethical invitation, which creates space for viewers to reimagine how they might live together with greater tenderness and responsibility.
**Curatorial Practice**
The conversation also touches on the role of curators working today. The unidentified artist emphasizes the importance of ethics and curatorial practice, which is connected by something like an umbilical cord. She stresses that curators have a responsibility to nurture the public's curiosity and open pathways to previously unheard or unseen histories and experiences.
Liu Shiming mentions his interest in creating exhibitions that are not neutral acts, but rather practices that must remain attentive to the complexities and urgencies of the contemporary moment. He emphasizes the importance of creating space for viewers to reimagine how they might live together with greater tenderness and responsibility.
**Artistic Practices**
The unidentified artist discusses her work as a painter, film maker, and poet. She emphasizes the importance of materiality and memory in her practice, using techniques such as overexposure and drift in time to create images that are "porous" and "subject to the rhythms and textures of the world". She also mentions her interest in the role of the camera as a porous body, which allows her to collaborate with the material of film itself.
Liu Shiming discusses his work as a sculptor. He emphasizes the importance of sensitivity and immediacy in his practice, using materials such as clay to create works that are deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Chinese women. He mentions that he chooses to work with clay because it demands a great deal of physical exertion, which allows him to connect with the material on a deeper level.
**Materiality and Memory**
Both artists emphasize the importance of materiality and memory in their practice. They discuss how these elements can be used to convey complex emotions and experiences, and how they can be used to create images that are both deeply personal and universally relatable.
The unidentified artist mentions her use of materials such as mud, bark, and sap in her work, which allows her to create images that are "subject to the rhythms and textures of the world". She also discusses how these materials can be used to convey a sense of exhaustion and resilience, which is closely tied to the experiences of women.
Liu Shiming mentions his use of clay as a medium, which allows him to connect with the material on a deeper level. He discusses how this connection enables him to create works that are deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Chinese women.
**Role of Art**
The conversation also touches on the role of art in society. The unidentified artist emphasizes the importance of art as a way to broaden our horizons and expand empathy toward people and life forms that fall outside our own frames of reference. She mentions her previous exhibition, "Stop Right There", which used hybrid portraits to create a space for confrontation and recognition.
Liu Shiming discusses his interest in creating artworks that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. He emphasizes the importance of art as an ethical invitation, which creates space for viewers to reimagine how they might live together with greater tenderness and responsibility.
**Curatorial Practice**
The conversation also touches on the role of curators working today. The unidentified artist emphasizes the importance of ethics and curatorial practice, which is connected by something like an umbilical cord. She stresses that curators have a responsibility to nurture the public's curiosity and open pathways to previously unheard or unseen histories and experiences.
Liu Shiming mentions his interest in creating exhibitions that are not neutral acts, but rather practices that must remain attentive to the complexities and urgencies of the contemporary moment. He emphasizes the importance of creating space for viewers to reimagine how they might live together with greater tenderness and responsibility.
! their conversation about materiality and memory had me thinking about my own art practice and how i can incorporate more of the "rhythms and textures of the world" into it 
. i love how they both emphasize the importance of physical connection with materials - like liu shiming's use of clay, which he says demands a great deal of physical exertion and allows him to connect with the material on a deeper level... same here, i feel so much more engaged when i'm working with my hands in the studio 
but also super interesting... Liu shiming is using clay to create sculptures that are rooted in everyday life of chinese women, which i think is a great way to bring attention to things that need more focus on 
. the artist who is unnamed is talking about how she uses different materials like mud and bark to create art that's all about connection with nature, it sounds really environmentalist... kinda too good to be true? 
Liu Shiming's clay work is also deep, it feels like he's tap into the everyday lives of Chinese women in a way that's really powerful 
and i'm low-key obsessed with their art practices!!! she's all about using materials like mud & bark to create these super porous images that are literally "subject to the rhythms & textures of the world" 
and liu shiming is working with clay, which is so cool cuz it demands physical exertion & lets him connect with the material on a deeper level 
i love how both artists emphasize the importance of materiality & memory in their work - like, they're not just creating art for the sake of it, but also to convey complex emotions & experiences 
! It's so inspiring to see how both of them are pushing boundaries in their art practices, exploring materiality & memory to create something truly unique. The way they're using different materials like mud, bark, sap & clay is just fascinating 
. Liu Shiming's idea of art as an ethical invitation is so powerful 
. I'm definitely taking away some new ideas from this conversation to try out myself 
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... like everyone's just spouting off about "materiality" and "memory" without actually doing anything concrete 
and i love how both artists are all about that materiality and memory life they're not just making pretty pictures, they're creating whole experiences 
he's really getting down with the physicality of it all and making these beautiful sculptures that feel like a hug for your soul 
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i love how they're emphasizing the importance of materiality and memory in their practice - it's like they're reminding us that our experiences are valid and worthy of expression 
... it's like they're all part of a bigger conversation about how we can use art to shape our understanding of the world. And I think that's something we should all be talking about more 
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. And that unidentified artist's use of materials like mud and bark is like she's saying, "Hey, we don't need all this fancy stuff to get the message across!"