Media: Audio/photo installation (lightbox)
Dimensions: 2,66 x 1,8m
Duration: 6'44''
Year: 2014
Landscape photography is made on Luofu mauntain in Guangdong province in China.
Mark: Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mark, welcome to this art happening. Mr. Q is our guest in the studio today. Hello Q.
Q: Nice to be here Mark, thank you for inviting me.
Mark: You are welcome. Today we are witnessing an artist’s performance, if we may call it that. We can see the artist in front of the mountain. Q, do you think you can has a guess perhaps, to what might be happening next?
Q: Well, it’s too early to say anything, but let me try. This is obviously a landscape scene, and the artist is observing it, like a painter. Or at least he wants us to think so.
Mark: Right.
Q: This forest reminds me on great masters of landscape painting, such as Nicolas Poussin – a key figure of French Baroque style in XVII century, or John Constable – English Romantic painter, or maybe we can find even better clues in imperial China, painters like Guo Xi…
Mark: : I am sorry, I am sorry, the artist starts moving towards the tree…the one that stands out on the top of the forest…wow, just listen to the music… Gosh… what do you think about the music he is using?
Q: Ohm, well, I think it’s pretentious. He probably wants us to believe that something very important and exciting is going on.
Mark: But you don’t believe so?
Q: Let’s say I am not convinced yet…
Mark: Come on Q, give him a chance.
Q: Well I am here, am I not?
Mark: Of course, of course. Ok, do you think that maybe he will try to climb to the top of that tree?
Q: Well, I hope not, because I don’t see what would be the meaning of that.
Mark: Wait, wait, we have a close up – WOW! It really does look like he is going to climb that tree. Oh my God, what a scene! What an image! This is…this is exciting!
Q: He is trying hard, I must admit…
Mark: I am sold. I don’t understand a thing, but this is very exciting.
Break...
… Mark: Ladies and gentlemen, we are back, Mr. Q is with us still in the studio, we are live at the art performance location. Do you think we are any closer to making a guess at this moment Q?
Q: Not really, the artist is not giving us any directions or clues so far, except that he is being very dramatic and theatrical.
Mark: Well, I think you are quite alone in your opinion.
Q: Let’s say I am not so easy to amuse Mark, that’s not my job.
Mark: Ok. Do you think that this tree could have any meaning at all?
Q: Possibly. A tree has lot of metaphorical potential. It helped Darwin to explain his theory of evolution. Paul Klee used it to formulate his idea of creativity. One story can be very interesting in this case, its written by conceptual artist Braco Dimitrijevic, it’s a story about two painters. It’s a very short one, quoting: One day, the King, hunting nearby, lost his dog. He found him in the garden of one of the painters. He saw the works of that painter and took him to the castle. The name of that painter was Leonardo da Vinci. The name of the other disappeared forever from human memory, end of quote. Or left in the forest, I might add…
Mark: That is terrific! I am glad we have you with us in the studio Q, I couldn't of come up with that on my own, you are super!
Q: I am glad I can help, Mark.
Mark: But do you think that’s the message?
Q: No,
Mark: Right.
Q: and I don’t believe in that story ...good things find their way to people’s attention. It would be helpful if we could summarize what we have seen so far.
Mark: Right.
Q: The artist showed us a forest, surrounded by hills and heavy mist, and there was a particular tree on the top that stands out in the woods.
Mark: Hmm, go on…
Q: Then the artist starts climbing the tree, with dramatic music and crescendo when he reaches the top, right?
Mark: True, go on…
Q: And since then he is standing there, on the tree, and… he is looking at us.
Mark: Us?
Q: Yes, us, take a look.
Mark: You are right! But… why? Why would he do that?
Q: Well we start looking at him first…
Mark: Yes, but we are here to see what he is going to do!
Q: True, but he is obviously looking what we are doing from the very beginning…
Mark: So, everything we said here… was… well, I think all I can say at this junction Q is that I miss music…
Q: Don’t ask to be amused by art Mark, this silence…
Mark: Oh, God, there’s music again! Good! I didn’t want to be left alone in this piece.
Q: Well I hope this music means we are close to the end of this piece and close to its point.
Mark: Here he is… climbing down the tree… he is walking through the forest again! Wow, I am quite excited, the music really helps it! Look, this is the same scene from the beginning. This must be the end of the performance! Pam pa pammm, paaaa….
Q: Mark, Mark? I think we are…
Mark: Listen, this is quite something...