Taotao Li
Different “Chinas” in Chinatown, The Hague
Installation
Posters, videos, monitors, food, newspapers
400 x 400 x 200 cm
Immigrant identity, Collective Memory, Culture Symbol, Belonging
In the installation ‘Different “Chinas” in Chinatown, The Hague’, Li explores the various immigrant identities of Chinese people. He researched the history of Chinese immigrants in The Netherlands. He interviewed some residents in Chinatown, The Hague and categorized their group identities in three different aspects of collective memory and origin: Indonesia, Hong Kong and Mainland. He investigated their standard Chinese styles and symbols that seem to constantly confirm the visual archive of collective memory.
The work is focused on different generations of Chinese immigrants from the three identified categories and zooms in on three aspects of their culture, language and lifestyle (food). The red veil at the beginning of his video refers to an old Chinese wedding ceremony. Three red head sculptures represent the differences of the three categories of Chinese immigrants. In addition to the head sculptures, the categories are also expressed through three newspapers and three different typographic works as well as three different meals on a table.
This project intends to give the western viewer insights about Chinese immigrants and break some stereotypes.
