Video
NFS
“In this performance, I collected headlines from major newspapers in China, U.S and Singapore, for historical events that I think still have lingering impacts on us now. I then wet and attach them to my face one by one, following the chronological order. The act of attaching soaked paper to one’s face used to be a form of punishment in ancient China as the criminal would die from suffocation. As I disappear behind the layers of newspapers, am I erased and overwhelmed by forces beyond my control, am I suffering or tortured by what I did not take part in, or am I using them as a cover, a mask behind which I could claim an alibi and therefore, guiltless? The mirror behind me is a reference to an old Chinese saying, “Using history as a mirror”, but also a place for the viewers to see themselves in.” – Shengyi Liu, Decatur, GA