News from Jiang Peng, Tao Water Gallery

2014/05/10

Spring Greeting! The Tao Water Gallerywould like to show you two new pieces by Jiang Peng. Jiang sent them his new art statement, attached here, it is a very good writing, will help us to know more about him and his art. his updated page http://taowatergallery.com/artist-jiangpeng.htm

« Mornings when we wake up thinking this or that, we feel that we own the world, that we think freely, that we have the ability to judge right from wrong, good from bad. When our Olympic games are a success, we cheer with joy; when we lose a football game, we cry our heart out; when our embassy is bombed, we rush out to demonstrate; when a dispute arises over ownership of some small islands, we crush Japanese cars with hatred and anger. We believe without any doubt that our brain is thinking what we should be thinking.
The Movie, The Truman Show, depicts the life of Truman, who lives in TV show. He thinks he has a free and colorful life, but he finds out by chance that he lives in a controlled world, that his everyday thinking and behaviors are controlled by a program.
How much different are our lives from Truman’s? On the media, we watch the news, read ideas, topics to discuss. These things are all set up in advance. The Chinese have a term for it: » topic set. » There are rules called « the regulation of propaganda, » « the regulations of reporting. » We may know that the « water force » and « 50 cent army » (- a term of description of people who are paid to post opinion or idea on internet, like water force crushing, or like army occupying internet, )are paid public opinion on internet, but when we cross over the « wall » (internet « wall » – a block setting on internet to prevent Chinese from seeing outside world) into the free world’s internet, we still see them fighting, who may be paid by the political left or right wings.
Go to sleep. Maybe only in our dreams can we be ourselves. When we wake up, a voice will ask: « Have you been brainwashed today? » Jiang Peng