First published on 30 Jun 2011. Updated on 8 Sep 2011.
British-German artist Tino Sehgal specialises in creating what he calls 'constructed situations', which have been exhibited at major venues around the world, including the Tate Britain and New York's Guggenheim Museum. His Shanghai works might involve museum guards, but he's not telling Berwin Song much more.
'I first started out bringing dance to the museum – not as a performance at any special time, but as an artwork that happens throughout the day. Then I began making works for museum guards, like having the guards do a short dance or sing a little. After the song or dance they could respond to the visitors on their own terms. I became interested in crafting this interaction more, constructing certain situations. Each piece has specific qualifications. I've worked with museum guards, children, even homeless people, so it changes from piece to piece. I don't want to speak too much about the Shanghai pieces as I want visitors to experience them first-hand and not know what's going to happen.'
'For me, the relationship with China is the most interesting part of this project. It's difficult for me to say what the reaction will be. The experience until now has been that different cultures respond quite similarly to each other. But if something radically unpredictable happens, I'll be happy with that too.'
'This is New' and 'This is Exchange' are at RAM Studio until Sunday 25 September.
The work is part of local curator Biljana Ciric's ongoing live art exhibition series Taking the Stage OVER.
Berwin Song