Wandering Baishizhou
A story from Shenzhen
Presentation and projection
WUXU Cultural Association and DAMSLab
Greetings by
Roberta Paltrinieri
(Scientific Responsible DAMSLab)
Speakers in dialogue with the artist Sabrina Muzi
Lorenzo Balbi (Art Director of MAMbo - Museo d'Arte Moderna di Bologna)
Silvia Grandi (Curator and Lecturer at the University of Bologna)
Zheng Ningyuan (Artist, founder of the WUXU association)
Moderator:
Leonardo Regano (Curator)
"Wandering Baishizhou" is an immersive journey into the daily reality of Baishizhou, the largest and liveliest Chinese urban village in Shenzhen.
Told through the artist's month-long experience in the village, the project involved the local community and culminated in the making of a film. The project was born during a residency spent by the artist Sabrina Muzi in June 2017, in Shenzhen, a megalopolis symbol and engine of Chinese economic development. Invited by Handshake 302 Art Center, an independent space and creative group of artists and anthropologists, to work on the site, the artist spent a month in the urban village of Baishizhou, living in one of the many mini-apartments, generally rented out to working immigrants, located within the handshake buildings, typical buildings so called because they are located so close together.
Urban villages are a frequent phenomenon of urbanisation, high population density agglomerations generally located in modern Asian metropolises.
The lively village of Baishizhou is located in the centre of Shenzhen, a community in constant flux thanks to the incessant flow of migrants from various parts of China, and is part of an urban redevelopment plan that calls for its demolition in a few years.
The project, which is participatory in nature, was developed in several stages: the involvement of residents, the creation of clothes, performances, photographs, and culminated in the making of a film. After establishing a series of relationships with the residents, the artist collected clothes and objects donated by the residents to make new clothes, which were then worn by three residents who performed in various places in Baishizhou.
The film "Wandering Baishizhou", completed in 2019, follows the stops and movements of the three performers, who as guardians and protective spirits of the places, accompany us to discover the life of the village.
The presentation, which will precede the viewing of the film, will be enriched by the projection of images of the various places in Baishizhou, of the moments of encounter with the local people and of the phases of construction of the artistic work. Sabrina Muzi, who recently returned to the site, will also show some photographs of the transformations that are affecting the village two years later.
