Business as Usual
2021
Northwest Shanxi
7′12″
Video Performance︎
Seeking out ancient grottoes and temples in northwest Shanxi. The contrast between the destroyed statues of the gods during the Cultural Revolution and the over-saturated colors of the recently restored "ancient temples" made me feel the reincarnation of fate. Fear Man then destroys; Fear God then repairs. Those in power left the villagers in a dilemma in the game of politics and ideology.
During our journey, we came to a valley entrance where people had destroyed an ancient temple during that event, only leaving four spared trees. Twenty years ago, the villagers wanted to rebuild this temple, and on the day the work started, thunder struck down a tree, which seemed to be condemned by God. People did not dare to rebuild it at the original site, so they had to build a new grotto on the hill behind. Until now, people worshiped the four trees and prayed in the new grotto every festival.
In the film, two mysterious narrators travel through time and space on this continent, one of whom eventually becomes a tree deity and sleeps peacefully with ill-fated beings.
Behind-The-Scenes by NIU Haoyu