I talked with you that Qiuzhuang haven’t a history and future in last letter.No history was not meant Qiuzhuang no past,just because it’s never be recorded,never be concerned.The old people died,the youth became old man and the children became youth,meantime,the old people taked village’s history into tombs.No one concerned village’s future because all the people care of today’s lives and benefit,but today is changing. I like your advise that organize and fictional the history of the village,it’s interesting works.It’s important that let the people know where we came from and where we are going because they are connect and restrict each other.It will be worked in A LIBRARY project,there will have a village’s history and archive part in the library.
To A LIBRARY,I define it a public space in the village.We had public life in my childhood,people working together in the farm,saw the outdoor film ,there were circus troupes and outdoor operas display in the village. To 1980s,markets economy full of our country,people worked for benefit,some people became rich and some people still poor,public life was disappeared.I want to structure more public life in the library.so,A Library is class room,cinema,theatre,museum etc also.
It’s haven’t changed for copy the collections of Van Abbemuseum,I just will installate more works to public space.You will find Sol Lewitt’s 2 wall drawings and wall sculpture,Andy Warhol’s “Mao” ,Dan Flavin’s light installation,Daniel Buren’s striation paintings as a house’s decoration and fence,John Kormeling’s light works “HI HA” and Richard Long’s “Wood Circle”on ground,they will be installate oneside of village’s road,and Ulay/Abramovic’s performing videos will display in the grocery.
The condition always complex and more changes,there is a broad road wide 60 meters will across the village in government’s new plan.More than half family faced moving include my family and library.No one asked us if we want to move out of the village.The villagers just build more room in their home for get more compensates. Village’s future is unknown and the art works will be destroyed with the houses.I think the art works will stay people’s heart and can’t be destroyed.I hope it stay in here forever,but it like human’s fate,it’s can not to anticipate and control.I will recode the people’s moving and the relationships with the art works.
I faced the funding’s question now as Dutch Consulate had replied us no suport to the project,I will talk with Dadou tomorrow.I hope we can resulte it together,but whatever I would finish the project. I think you will meet most parts of the project when you come to village in end of April 2013.
All my best!
Li Mu February 25,2013
Hi Li Mu,
Thanks for the mail. I think this idea of making history is very good. Especially if the village will be destroyed by the road. Maybe you should ask to interview the villagers and see what they can remember. You could video record their stories about what happened to the village in the past and how it has changed - like the idea of public space or the arrival of the market economy. This could be an activity to be done in the library. When will the road be built? Will the villages get new houses nearby or will they have to move to the city?
On the money side, I do not know what to do exactly. I think we need to apply for some private or public funding. There is not so much change here in NL. Maybe we could try Stichting Doen (Dadou, do you have contacts there?). What about private money from China? Would any oligarchs be willing to help?
What help do you have there at the moment Li Mu? Is there someone in the village who can help with the library or the idea of the interviews? From this distance, I have the feeling that the project should last longer but that you should be able to go away and come back. Otherwise it puts all pressure on you to stay in the village a long time. You should think about how the balance the needs of the project with your own needs.
