Universes in Universe - Worlds of Art

50th Venice Biennale
15 June - 2 November 2003

Venice / 2003 / Report / Dreams & Conflicts / Z.O.U.

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Huang Yong Ping

Huang Yong Ping  

* 1954 Xiamen, China.
Lives in Paris.
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Huang Yong Ping

Bat Project I & II, 2001 - 2002

Models, sketches, documents, photographs and videoclips

Both of Huang Yong Ping’s Bat Projects are original large replicas of segments from the US spy plane EP-3, a.k.a. the "bat“, which collided with a Chinese fighter plane on 1 April 2001 over the South China Sea. Only after lengthy negotiations was the crew, which had been forced to land on the island of Hainan, permitted to return to the US. The Chinese took the airplane apart and allowed it be taken back to the US in a freight carrier, but dismantled and packed into containers. This was a humiliation for the superpower.

Huang Yong Ping created "Bat Project I", a replica of the middle and rear portions of the airplane (20 meters long), for a French-Chinese exhibition in Shenzhen in December 2001. In fear of hurting France and China’s relations with the USA, the piece had to be removed before the exhibition was ever opened.

"Bat Project II" was a replica of the middle and front portions, as well as the left wing, of spy plane EP-3, totaling ca. 15 meters in length. Due to pressure from the US consulate, the work could not be shown at the 1st Guanzhou Triennial in November 2002.

 

Huang Yong Ping

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