DISTANCE BETWEEN: A 3-channel Video Installation

China Exchange UK will present DISTANCE BETWEEN, a 3-channel video installation created by Xiaowen Zhu, from 4 August to 9 August.

Since Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar, Chinese Valentine’s day has been celebrated. In Chinese mythology Zhinu, a weaver girl, and Niulang, a cowherd, fell deeply in love – but their relationship was forbidden and they were banished to opposite sides of the Silver River, or the Milky Way. Feeling sad for these quite literally star-crossed lovers a flock of magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day every year. This year the day falls on Tuesday 9 August.

Introducing Distance Between, a 3-channel HD video installation by artist Xiaowen Zhu

DISTANCE BETWEEN is a 3-channel video installation ostensibly on the topic of long-distance relationships, as referred to romantic relationships between people who are separated by considerable distance. The interviews, filmed with 6 subjects, recount individual stories as confessions, beginning with the innocent excitement of growing intimacy through simple means of text messages and phone calls, to the complexity of Skype, examining the inherent properties of the medium.

The project begins by interviewing couples involved in long distance romantic relationships, focusing on particular traits and benefits of a mediated and technologically enabled exchange. Taking this source material, the artist mixes spontaneous interviews with reenactments by 6 subjects based on quotes taken from actual interviews. The material was then re-configured and re-contextualized by the artist. Using staged scenarios, designed stenography and cinematography, the piece encourages the viewer to re-examine their notions of the Documentary Interview and to ponder the boundary between fact and fiction. “Long-distance relationships” is used as a subject to open a discourse about self-identification, individual perception of home and travel, personal value of family and marriage, ideology of life and understandings of the issues of love and trust.

Opening Times

Fri 5 August 15:00-19:00 Sat 6 August 15:00-19:00 Sun 7 August CLOSED Mon 8 August 15:00-19:00 Tue 9 August 15:00-19:00