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Buddha's battle at Artpace
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Artpace has recently commissioned artist Jeffrey Wisniewski to produce a piece titled Battle of the Buddha. Currently viewable in the Hudson Showroom, the film is accompanied by several related installation pieces, spread out among the open floor of the showroom. The exhibition will be viewable through Jan. 2, 2010.
The film begins with a red Buddha, hovering in a state of serene meditation above the floor of a seemingly endless black room. As a golden mist begins to seep from his sleeves as would steam from the surface of boiling water, the Buddha is awakened. Upon setting his feet to the ground, the once singular Buddha, united under one color, splits and stands face to face with his golden alter-ego. Following a polite bow, an aggressive altercation begins with a cheap shot from the golden Buddha. An evenly matched battle ensues, ending with another polite bow, and the eventual reuniting of the two into a single red Buddha, who slips into meditation above the ground once more.
The film is successful in that it addresses many contemporary issues concerning rising economic tensions between East (China) and West (U.S.), globalization, and cultural identity in a humorously captivating manner. However, a piece such as Battle of the Buddha is only as good as the thought that it provokes within the viewer, whether in agreement or disagreement with the artist, and in this case, one would be hard-pressed not to formulate an opinion on the issues that the film and it's surrounding works address.
One might argue the serene state of being, displayed by what seems to be an incarnation of Communist China before separating from his alter-ego. Only until he is awakened by Western influence, as represented by the golden Buddha, does the red Buddha begin to react in a more visible manner that shadows much of the martial arts cinema, which has formed many Western ideas about philosophy and life in the East. The separation seems to signify a conflict with that which has always existed within the borders of China, and has only recently begun to surface and become more tangible, as opposed to being merely influenced by an outside source.
China as a conflicted nation, struggling to find a sense of identity in an ever-changing world, seems perfect when considering the many mysteries that have shrouded the country over the past 5,000 years, from silk to the Forbidden City. Not until recently, has the populous nation begun to industrialize and strive to take a place on the world stage. This change in ideology has caused social tension among residents in China, and economic tensions with the U.S. The artist displays this tension brilliantly within his film.
Credit can be given to the work, for its ability to transcend the immediate concept as well, and relate to issues that affect some as locally as San Antonio, wherein many struggle to find a sense of identity while maintaining a relationship with traditions that originate outside the borders of the U.S. As ideas and large populations continue to migrate across the world, no single nation has been touched by the hand of outside influence, and no single nation has managed to maintain a rigid sense of tradition and identity.
View a slideshow of the film at: http://www.artpace.com/aboutTheExhibition.php?idExhibition=3083
For more information on the exhibition, visit: www.artpace.com
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