A Study of Fly 飛的修羅場
2018 / 12:45 / Color / Sound / 1.33:1 / USA / Original format: 16mm

This meditation begins with a dying dragonfly. This insect flies when it is born, but does not fly when it dies. I was reflecting on the fact that humans, born on the ground, have dreamed of flying since ancient times, and then finally invented the technology to fly. However, …

The fly in this film is both a noun and a verb, an analogy and a metaphor, and finally a state that demonstrates the capacity to move between the realms of life and death.

《飛的修羅場》由一隻瀕死的蜻蜓展開冥想,此昆蟲生而飛,死而不飛。反思立地而生的人類自古夢想能飛,終於發明了飛的技術。然而,科技所帶來的文明,不僅改變了宇宙的秩序,也間接介入了生與死的政治權力關係。

Artist statement:
A Study of Fly is made using an optical printer and contains aggressive hand-processing marks. It is a metaphor for the ability of humans to use their hands to bring about creation and invention, but at the same time, the techniques reveal the inevitable traces of intervention, manipulation, and destruction. 

In the last passage, you will see a CT-scanned image of a 1000-year-old Buddha statue, inside which a real human body was discovered, mummified in a lotus position. It was a Buddhist monk who as he was dying decided to have himself sealed inside the statue. Was he trying to reach a state between human and Buddha? Seeking a status between life, preserved life, and the afterlife? Shall we fly?

創作理念:
整體作品是用光學打印機製作、加上激進的手工沖洗痕跡呈現,暗喻人類使用雙手帶來創造與發明,同時也不能避免介入、操控、破壞的痕跡。

在最後一個段落中,您將看到一尊千年佛像的CT掃描圖像,其內發現了一具真實的人體骨骼——以蓮花坐封存的木乃伊。這是一位僧侶在臨死前決定將自己封印在佛像中。他是想以此達到介於人與佛之間的境界嗎?在生命、木乃伊、和來世之間尋求一種狀態?我們要不要一起飛呢?

Research:
CT Scan Reveals Mummified Monk Inside Ancient Buddha Statue
https://www.history.com/news/ct-scan-reveals-mummified-monk-inside-ancient-buddha-statue

Performers:
Zheng Fu, Wen-chu Yang

Notebook