artlink - qin ga

Polly: Artlink stirring volume 25 no 3 2005 pg 52-56
Artlink is a great Australian art journal that features articles on recent Australian biennials, as well as a focus on 'new work'. I found this article particularly inspiring about artist Qin Ga who participated in a project called the Long March a journey that took a team around Bejing covering over 3,000 miles.

Qin Ga had the map of China tatooed onto his back and as the team arrived at each new site that too was tatooed leaving permanent markings of the journey.

'His body is both an artwork and a Long March object, combining elements of history and collective and individual memory.'

This is a beautiful story of art and life, personally I think it speaks volumes of how important it is that art has a story to tell. Also Qin Ga says in the interview,

'The reason why I have such an interest in the Long March is that there is no ending point, it is open.'

I don't know if you'd say this was performance art, but I think it's pretty bloody amazing, it couldn't have been an easy march but it's certainly profound. The art itself (the tatoo) is only a small mark of what was experienced but still translates to the viewer in a powerful way the extent to which the artist took to live through his work and that is truly beautiful. I'm a fan. I remember Andrew talking about Qin Ga in Foundation and couldn't forget the story so found it and thought it would be cool to share. Check it out if you get the chance because it's a cool little interview about the journey and it has some photos too :)