Site 12, August 28-September 1, Bridge of Ludin, Da Du River, Sichuan Province

Da Du River

Dong Xiwen, "Da Du River," Oil on Canvas

Stills from "Red Army's Long March"

The Museum of the Red Army

Du Yan, Proposal ," Door Step,"
Installaion

Zhou Xiaohu, Proposal , "Rescue," Installation

"Crossing the Da Du River," an illustration in the
Museum of the Red Army

Above the Dadu River, there is an iron-chain suspension bridge that hangs between cliffs and sways like a cradle with the motion of the people who walk on it. Here, during the Long March, a devastating battle occurred. With bombers above them and enemy troops in pursuit, the Red Army had to cross the river to survive. Not only Chinese but world history would be very different had they not made it across. At the end of the bridge, the Nationalists' machine-guns awaited the Red Army; the planks had been removed from the bridge so all that remained were the hanging chains. In desperation, the Red Army vanguards grasped the chains and began swinging, hand over hand, towards the north bank. If shot, they fell into the torrent below, but another soldier would follow. These vanguards became the heroes of China's history.

Shen Yuan,
"Breaking up the Bridge Reaching the Other Shore,"
Installation

Exhibition

On this bridge, using performance, installation and other art forms, local and international artists will create a forum for discussion by tracing the history of the Avant-Garde, and the Red Army as savior of the Chinese Revolution. We will examine the discourse surrounding the Avant-Garde. The audience will be comprised of locals from the area.

　 Qiu Zhijie, "Left/Right," Perfomance, opening event
of the exhibition, "Hot-Pot," Norway, April 2001