Artists Report: Wu Wenguang & Wen Hui
Luang Prabang Video Workshop
We had stayed for a week in Luang Prabang (LP) in February this year to conduct two separate workshops - a video and a dance one - for the Culture Centre of Children. This had been a rare experience indeed.
1. The Journey Began Over Land
Let’s begin with how we got to LP from Kunming, China. It is customary
for international travelers to arrive by flying. However, since our hometown
is in Yunnan, just next to Laos, we changed the mode of travel - we decided
to drive ourselves over land into LP, this land that was beyond our imagination,
for we believed that in this way, we would be able to approach our destination
and its people gradually, step by step, thereby removing the feeling of
being “visitors flying in from a foreign land” or “mere
passersby”. After two days of driving, we finally reached LP. The
route was one that was far from what modern superhighways had to offer.
It was a long, winding and bumpy 1000 km that took us more than 30 hours
over two days to navigate. Along the way, we saw villagers still living
under extremely impoverished conditions. Of course, there were also snippets
of the idyllic life and stretches of forests and rivers that remained
unchanged for thousands of years. What we saw and experienced far exceeded
our expectations. When we finally arrived, worn out by the journey, we
almost certainly felt more “local”. This established a really
strong foundation for the workshops we were about to conduct for the children
there.
2. Video Workshop
We made a pleasant discovery on the very first day of the workshop. The
participating children turned up early. Wu chatted with them, asking for
their ages and schools. They are natural and cheerful. Wu spontaneously
handed over his DV camera, allowing the kids to film freely or conduct
interviews. This went on for more than half an hour. The kids were very
happy. Although they only talked about simple things like their names
and where they go to school, etc, they were recording it all down themselves.
They had never handled a video camera before. When they finally went indoors
for the workshop proper, Wu played those very images the children had
filmed a few moments ago. The kids were elated. Allowing the kids to film
under a natural and relaxed setting and with their subjects being the
most familiar people around them constituted the most ideal first lesson
for this workshop.
For the next five days, more than 20 kids participated in the workshop. Wu is not interested in the selection of subject matter or subject in the initial process of learning how to use the camera. What he keeps emphasizing is that the video camera is easy to operate and is not a scary medium but that we have to decide on what we want to film. We should start with people and environment we are most familiar with. In the meantime, a still photographer, who accompanied Wu on the trip, decided to teach the kids about technical aspects of the craft like composition and selection of backdrop. The workshop also emphasized the important point of being hands on. The kids were involved in two exercises – making two short films, lasting one and three minutes respectively. The only specification was the location but the children were free to choose their subject. The results were exciting. Some of these children, all of whom are working with the video medium for the first time, came up with very good films. Examples include a silverwork family workshop, a beauty parlour on the street, a day spent at a temple, etc. Through these images, we could clearly sense the passion and hope these children harbour for their city and hometown.
3. Dance Workshop
We had known about the reality of the ethnic minority areas in Yunnan
prior to our trip – that with the advent of outside cultures, the
local traditions have in fact been changed forever. So Wen Hui had hoped
that, as an artist from outside, she should not change the real local
traditions. Hence, Wen had planned to embark on a journey of discovery
of the creative possibilities of the body with the children. Through games
involving the use of the body, it is hoped that the children would first
discover, and then know their own bodies which would eventually lead them
to create with it.
This was the theme adopted for two of the workshops conducted. The children were open, pro-active and enthusiastic. Rarely do we find here the shyness and conservatism typical in children from China. It has been a happy process.
4. Conclusion: Planning for the Future
This has been a most meaningful workshop experience, including for us,
the group of artists from China. We had strong vibes about the people
and their exuberance. This would no doubt be a great driving force for
our future creative work. It is also clear to us that this workshop has
been extremely beneficial to the children as well. They are able to express
themselves by using the video camera and through dance. The following
are some crucial points to take note of in future workshops:
(a) Is it possible to turn this program into a long-term
one? Maybe three or five years? This is because it is rather difficult
to expect these children to master the art of creating video images within
a year. And if we only go twice, then they would probably forget about
the whole process soon enough. However, if we have more time, maybe visit
twice a year over three to five years, and as the children’s social
experiences and knowledge grow with time, some among them may eventually
choose to employ video images as a tool to depict reality as well as to
express themselves.
(b) As the video workshop emphasizes hands on experience, it would therefore
be much better if we had a few more units of DV cameras with us, for the
children would then have more opportunity to engage themselves with the
medium. Another crucial element is post-production editing. Future workshops
should also include classes in editing. At least a basic computer editing
setup should be included.
(c) For the dance workshop, Wen Hui liked in particular the children’s
openness and eagerness to learn. It signified a great beginning. We would
like to be given more time in future programs to continue our work, and
hopefully with opportunities to mingle with the children on a day-to-day
basis. This would go towards helping the children discover the creative
possibilities of their bodies.
By: Wu Wenguang and Wen Hui
12th March 2003, in Beijing