《你吃了吗？》是一篇有关农业以及食品生产和消费的艺术家实践汇编。本汇编相当于一个 数据库,其目的是帮助人们收集,对比,和学习这些艺术家的实践,意图,方法,社会网络。它是一 个正在进行中的列表,这一列表是在中国的语境和可获得的信息条件下为《市集/Country Fair》项目 所做的。但它也寻求这类实践的国际信息。本汇编在网络和市集上都可以找到。 因为这类艺术实践在现代艺术中谈及的较少,所以本数据库是很有必要的。颇具讽刺的是可及性还是许多这类艺术 家的项目所关注的。泛泛地说,虽然这些艺术实行常常跟本地环境、经济和社会体 系有关,但是它们大部分也关系到共有知识网络,在许多情况下 也巧妙地,综合地使用了科技手段。 当 然,艺术家个人网站上的信息是更深入的;《你吃了吗？》只是走近他们工作的一个切入点 。
我们的研究显示,很多西方国家有着这么一个强大的传统,或趋势:在画廊和展览馆之外,通过集体 的、实践性的组织模式,应用着行动主义性、跨学科方法,而创造艺术。虽然《你吃了吗？》这个目录还正进行中,处发展阶段,但我们的最初搜寻发现国内的这类艺术实践和方案很少;思考 其所以然是一件很有趣的事,同时也是在强调这一目录的未完成状态。我们也诚邀您在以下地址中加 入您的建议。
关于数据库的状况,应该做一个简短的说明,这一说明与艺术和在世界范围内人们对可持续性的日益 关注相关。这主题不仅仅被艺术家和活动分子所采取;还有小型企业、广告公司、甚至政府机构。对 于那些确实存在的环境和社会问题,在许多情况下我们应该注意那些可能出现的投机者和别有用心的 人。对于那些把“绿色”狂当做我们当今意识形态的人艺术家们也持质疑态度。因为艺术实践已经变得 可以包括传统的和另类的经济方式(例如和建立绿色企业、建立“免费商店”;),并且传统和另类的 两种方式都趋向采取行动主义(直接政治性行动、微观的生活方式改变)这种警惕也应针对当前的数 据库,这一切都打着艺术的旗号。这一领域鱼龙混杂,因此有些人质疑是否这些实践有必要被称作艺 术。然而我们也不满足于任何一种自得其乐的封闭界限。未来必须是开放的。
这个数据库把自己限制在与艺术有明确关系的范围内并不是为了把这些活动置于一个高高在上的位置 ,而是使其回归到某种任何人都即可望又可及的东西。正如公共社团“吃在共处”所说“我们的理念并 非原创,我们只是在重建公共用地方面继续着挖掘者的工作,如果愿意就加入我们,要么最好接受我 们的理念并带着它奔跑,越远,越灵,越快越好”尽管有些艺术家可能不赞同,但这里的许多方法和 观念都是为了传播和支持那些受启发者的(甚至是模仿他们)。《你吃了吗？》因此是一个 谦逊的邀请,诚邀“市集”的整体公众去思索比生产/消费二分法更远的东西。对于公众来说去思考为 什么它不仅仅是一个选择也是他们的创造力和发明才能将是一个挑战,这种创造和发明为社会变革, 公正,艺术和可持续世界开辟了一条新路。
联系邮箱： farmersmarketbj@gmail.com
“Have you eaten yet?” is a collection of artist practices that work with farming and food production and consumption. It is meant as a database to find, compare and learn from these art practices, and their intentions, their methods, their networks. This is an ongoing list being compiled for the project Country Fair, within the context of China and the information available here, but it seeks to connect information of these practices internationally. It is presented online as well as at each Country Fair.
This database is necessary because of the relative lack of representation of these practices in many depictions of contemporary art. Ironically, accessibility is something many of these artist projects are most concerned with. An interesting generalization that can be made about many of these artist practices is that while most of them work with local environments, economies and social systems, they tend to refer broadly to networks of communal knowledge and in many cases make clever, integrated uses of technology. Therefore, the resources available on the artists’ own websites are much more in-depth than that which can be presented here, so food is nothing new is simply an introductory point of connection to their work.
From our research, there seems to be in many Western contexts a strong tradition—or even trend—of art making that variously works outside of galleries, with skill sharing and collective, practical forms of organization involving activism and interdisciplinary approaches. While this list of resources is still ongoing and under development, our initial searches have turned up very few examples of similar projects and practices inside of China. It would be interesting to consider why this may be, meanwhile underscoring the unfinished state of this list. We invite any suggestions of additions to the address below.
A short statement should be made about the circumstances of this database, related to art and the growing concerns of sustainability in the world. This theme has been taken up not only by artists and activists, but also by small enterprises, marketing agencies, large corporations and even bodies of government. In many cases we should be attentive to the possibility of exploitation and cynicism with regard to these very real environmental and social problems. Artists are among those who question the genuineness of the “green” obsession as the ideology of our times. This caution and criticality should also be directed at the present database, as art practices shift to include both alternative and conventional approaches to economy (for instance, setting up free stores; or establishing real “green” companies), and both alternative and conventional approaches to activism (micro-scale lifestyle changes; direct political actions), all under the umbrella of art. These spheres can become mixed together in differing variations, leading some to question whether such practices need be referred to as art at all. Yet we are not satisfied with the self-contented closing off of borders of any kind. The future must be open.
The fact that this database limits itself to practices with explicit connections to art is not intended to lift these activities to some higher level, but to ground art to something achievable by anyone. As said by one of the artist groups, Eat in Public, “Our ideas are not original. We are simply continuing the work of the 17th century Diggers in remaking the commons. Join us if you want. Or better yet, take our ideas and run with it. As far, smart, and fast as you can.” Although some artists may disagree, many of these methods and ideas are meant to spread and empower those inspired by (and even copying) them. “Have you eaten yet?” is therefore a modest invitation to the general public of Country Fair to think beyond the producer/consumer dichotomy. It is a challenge to the public to consider how it is not only their choices, but also their creativity and inventiveness, that points to new ways forward in social change, justice, art, and a sustainable world.
contact: farmersmarketbj[at]gmail[dot]com