Aesthetics
Aesthetics
The new academic year has brought many exciting changes. For me personally, one of the changes is that I have accepted responsibility to teach a couple of Theory of Knowledge classes, or ToK as it is also known. ToK is a course in thinking and knowledge, showing students how the various ways of knowing and types of thinking fit together.
The first topic for the 2nd year students (who have already completed most of the course) was Aesthetics. Last Wednesday was ToK day at the College, so on that day, I presented an illustrated lecture to all the students on aesthetics - including three video clips and 179 Keynote slides. It was a marathon presentation, and I really valued the generous appreciation offered by the students.
Hopefully illuminated by the lecture, all the students then proceeded to the Hong Kong Art Gallery, beautifully situated overlooking Victoria Harbour. A highlight of the visit was the exhibition of “installations” by Leung Mee-ping and Gu Wenda, all made from human hair.
One example is shown in this week’s photo. Titled “Temple of Heaven” (by Gu Wenda), it was made from glued hair strands collected from around the world over several months. The text on the scrolls resembled Chinese, English, Arabic and Indian, representing ancient languages, but which were in fact meaningless “false texts” inspired by the big character posters of the Cultural Revolution.
In the middle of the installation were mock Ming dynasty tables and chairs which transformed the walk-in exhibit into a gathering place. On each chair was a small television screen playing a video of drifting clouds with the sound of Chinese bian zhong bells. People who sat on this part of the ‘exhibit’ claimed to have quite warm backsides after the experience, a nice sensation perhaps often experienced after viewing great art!
Many of our students found it a bit “spooky” at first to walk into an environment and be surrounded by hair cut from human heads. Even more disturbing for some was Leung Mee-ping’s installation in the next room, which comprised hundreds of small slippers made from human hair, arranged in rows across the floor. To those who had seen images of the cut hair and confiscated shoes at Auschwitz, the parallel was troubling indeed. To see what I mean, see my gallery of Auschwitz images HERE.
Perhaps disturbing the observer is a measure of great art. Or is it? That would make a good ToK discussion.......
Sunday, 3 September 2006