Ordinary Affects
2024
Two-channel video, 4K UHD, color, sound, 16:00 minutes
This two-channel video juxtaposes images of artificial tulips with the process of drawing them, accompanied by an unfolding dialogue. A male voice narrates his experiences from a part-time job between 2019 and 2023, teaching an elderly woman in her early 80s, living with dementia, how to draw. He recounts the everyday trivialities and reflections that emerged from this long-term companionship. Meanwhile, a female voice seeks to understand the frustrations and doubts he faced in caregiving, offering a rational analysis of issues related to care.
The artists engage in conversations about their experiences and exchange their thoughts. Through dialogue, they navigate the ordinary yet complex affects that are often difficult to define, while reflecting on broader issues of labor, ethics, illness, diaspora, and identity.
*This work is a collaboration between Tang Han and Xiaopeng Zhou.
