No Rain in the Wind
Performance Art, video, 7'23
No Rain in the Wind is a performance art piece inspired by traditional Taoist rain-invocation rituals, exploring different cultural perceptions of natural phenomena, with a particular focus on the tension and collision between science and superstition. Through elements such as the altar, talismans, and red string, the work reflects on ancient customs and their dramatic reinterpretation in the contemporary context.
During the performance, the artist lights candles arranged on a carefully designed altar and progressively burns the rain-invocation talismans, symbolizing a ritualistic process of release and liberation. After each burning, the artist paces slowly around the altar, repeating this action three times. This measured, rhythmic walking represents not only a symbolic expression of internal anxiety but also the struggle stemming from cultural collisions. After all the talismans are burned, the artist ties a red string to a plant, symbolizing a connection to Chinese traditional culture while also embodying an attempt to transcend it.
The work was inspired by the artist’s residency in Sardinia, where the island’s arid climate evoked the image of the ancient Chinese rain-invocation rituals—a superstition-laden custom reflecting an innocent understanding of nature by ancient peoples. By reenacting this ritual, the artist seeks to provoke reflection on the ways different cultures interpret natural phenomena. In the modern context, the coexistence and tension between traditional Taoist rituals and scientific thought imbue the performance with strong dramatic and symbolic significance.
No Rain in the Wind not only examines reverence for and understanding of nature but also delves into the artist’s personal experience of cultural identity and dislocation in a cross-cultural environment. Through the burning of the talismans and the act of tying the red string, the work presents a delicate balance between Eastern and Western cultures, a dialogue between tradition and modernity, superstition and science, leading to a profound introspection on the artist’s cultural roots.