Art
bridges China-U.S. gap
BY
NINA WU Of The Examiner Staff
Chinese-American artist Pop Zhao plans on Sunday to unfurl
five miles of a silk banner made of 3,000 U.S. flag panels
along The City's coastline. Zhao's last project, the "Olympic
Dragon," stretched for 10,000 meters along the Great Wall
of China.
Nina Wu: What were you doing on the morning of Sept. 11?
Pop Zhao: I was on my bed. I had just got back from eight
months in China after my Great Wall project and was recovering.
Then I turned on the TV. At first, you don't understand it.
I think it's just like a movie, not the truth. So I don't
believe it. I stayed the whole day, watching. I forgot to
eat anything ... just the whole day, watching.
Q: Did you have friends or family in New York?
A: Not directly.
Q: But it made an emotional impact on you.
A: I see one tower collapse and just cannot believe it. So
many lives. I know how much struggle there must be inside
because everybody wanted to find a light to get out, to try
to be alive. I felt so sad, that moment. Before, I considered
this place a studio. I work here. It's not my hometown. All
my family, friends and favorite things are back in Beijing.
But after Sept. 11, that changed. I consider this my home
now. Treasure life, treasure everything here. Make some contribution.
Q:
Why did you use the U.S. flag and five Olympic colors?
A: The five colors are a continuation of my last project,
the Olympic ring colors. The Olympic spirit is to bring people
together from different backgrounds and cultures. It's just
like San Francisco. We're from everywhere. The Golden Gate
is a gate to immigrants. That's why I wanted to continue that
spirit.
Q: What does liberty mean to you? Did you grow up with freedom?
A: My parents and people of their generation suffered from
political movements like the Cultural Revolution. But my generation
didn't have that. Freedom means to grow up and do whatever
you pursue. In all my artwork, you can see the image and inspiration
of China. Art has no borders, no matter where you're from,
no matter what you express. You're always going to find an
audience.
Q:
Is there as much artistic freedom in China as the U.S.?
A:
Ten years ago, you could find in China a lot of limits, just
like a wall surrounding you. But now China has gone through
tremendous change. I think it's so great if China can open
to the world to host the 2008 Games.
Q: Are you proud that Beijing won the bid?
A: Oh, so proud.
Q:
Will human rights improve if China hosts the Olympics?
A: I think sport is sport and politics is politics. The spirit
of the Olympics is to bring people of different cultures together.
Also, you need to give it time to change. Ten years ago, I
think Beijing was not ready, but today, I think it's ready.
It's a new generation. It's more modern and fashionable.
Q: Any comments on China's occupation of Tibet?
A:
I'm an artist. I went to Tibet. When I was little, I saw a
lot of movies and pictures of the mountains and scenery. I
was really impressed by the spirit of people there. They have
strong beliefs. I'm a Buddhist. I like harmony and energy.
In a lot of my work, I painted monks.
Q:
What did you do in Tibet?
A: I went for four months by myself. I went through a lot
of difficulties. I went to try and see an art site in the
desert and got lost. There's nothing but the sky and bright
sun, getting littler and littler and so white. Then I had
a dialogue. Help me to find the road. If I find it, I live,
if I don't find it, I'm dead. I had to walk, walk, walk. So
I had this experience about life. Life is like porcelain.
If you drop it ... broken.
Q: Tell me about your Chairman Mao pop art mixed with American
commercial logos.
A: It's a combination of a political icon and a commercial
icon. I grew up in China during Chairman Mao's time. We grew
up with the slogans. Every day we read Chairman Mao's book.
The slogans are political: Read Chairman Mao's book to be
a good student, a good soldier or a good farmer. ... So when
I came here, I see the company culture. Nike: "Just Do It!"
McDonald's: "We love to see you smile."
Q:
Is China becoming more commercialized with open markets?
A:
In China now, people enjoy two systems. Back in China, people
joke that (in the U.S.), you only enjoy one system -- capitalism.
But here, we enjoy two -- socialism and capitalism. Q: Can
you have socialism and capitalism at the same time? A: In
the people's life. Of course, the country, they say, "We are
socialist." But people in their daily life -- what do they
do?
Q: They're going to McDonald's and buying Nike sneakers.
A:
There are entrepreneurs and free trade. I think that's a good
thing. That's why I think China is changing.
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