“China Made in Germany” presented by (lazyliu)


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Symposium:


Session Title:
  • Politics, Democracy, and the Posthuman

Presentation Title:
  • China Made in Germany

Presenter(s):


Venue(s):


Abstract:

  • I like watching TV and collect scenes of China Made in Germany. These are scenes of contemporary German film productions that are set in Germany and portraits China.

    My archival work on this topic started 8 years ago. Around 350 films form the body of this artistic investigation.

    How does China Made in Germany look like? What do we Germans learn about China? Is it correct? Is it phantasy?
    In the artist talk I will present parts of my collection. Together with the audience I would like to discuss and investigate the truthfulness of what is constantly delivered into German living rooms.

    Abase my archive I will use 4 threads:

    #1 – The Wise China

    #2 – The Evil China

    #3 – The Difficult China

    #4 – The Chinese

    I will bring along a bunch of scenes to investigate and discuss and sure to laugh about.

    Text Examples of China Made in Germany

    1 – The Wise China – Hubert und Staller – (68) Fahr zur Hölle D2016 4:11 – Gedanken werden Worte, Worte werden Taten – aber ich wars nicht – alte chinesische Weisheit

    -Thoughts become words, words lead to action … an old Chinese wisdom

    – Mord mit Aussicht 34 frites speciaal D2014 43:25 – Scheffer, kennen Sie nicht das Chin Sprichwort ‘setz dich an den Fluss und warte bis die Leiche deines
    Gegners an dir vorbei schwimmt’ – was denn für’n Fluss?

    – Scheffer, don’t you know the Chinese saying ‘sit next to a river and wait for a corpse to float along’ – What river?

    2 – The Evil China – Kommissarin Lucas – Der nette Herr Wong d2014 17:27 über den Umgang mit Dissidenten in China muss ich Sie sicher nicht aufklären

    -No need to explain how China treats it’s dissidents ….

    – Trennung auf Italienisch d2014 53:00 – (Skype mit Hund !) was meinste wie traurig der erst schaut wenn er in einem chinesischen Kochtopf steckt (Skype with dog)

    -Imagine how sad he will look when he sits inside a Chinese cooking pot

    3 – The Difficult China – Nichts als Ärger mit den Männern D2009 59:22 – na? Zurück aus China? 59:47 – China war die Hölle der totale Stress

    -Hey – back from China? – China was hell on earth, pure stress

    – Tatort – Die chinesische Prinzessin D2013 26:16 – Versuch Chin Namen auszusprechen. 27:21 Wang Ching Chang Chong ( plus korrekte Aussprache )

    -Attempt to pronounce a Chinese Name – Wang Ching Chang Chong (including correct pronounciation)
    – … and many many films in which Germans try to use chop sticks

    4 – The Chinese – Sophie kocht D2015 8:33) .. Die Chinesen sind immer pünktlich

    -The Chinese are always punctual

    Background

    Germany & China are both huge power players on the international stage, closely linked by mutual economic goals. 50 years ago China was hardly known in Germany. It’s name was merely limited to products Made in China and the knowledge that Chinese people use chop sticks as cutlery.

    This limited information has ceased by now. It’s the very opposite – In contemporary German TV formats China is widely introduced these days leaving German actors with the difficult task to pronounce funny what-we-think-sounds-like-Chinese words.

    *Popular entertainment products are an easy tool to introduce the culture of our ‘exotic’ business partners.
    *Time based media allow artistic investigation.
    *Discussions with real people increase knowledge in a pleasant way.

    As a media artist I use found footage since 20 years to investigate and reflect upon popular film culture.

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