From "Memory Root" to "Wishing Tree"

The ancient Chinese civilisation used an early "writing system" now referred to as “Talking Knots”—the messages conveyed by these knots have since been lost to time.  In an age where instant communication and social media log the daily minutiae of our lives, it is likely that the stories we tell would be lost in hundreds and thousands of knots.

Yet, it would be sensible to think that ancient people tied knots to record the major incidents in their lives.  What kinds of events would be worth recording?  Disasters? Or social occasions, such as births, marriages, and deaths? And if the people of our time adopted this medium of communication, what would we want to convey through the knots?

With this in mind, I created “The Root” by producing an off-the-wall installation resembling tree roots, formed of crushed calligraphic studies from the years prior.  Backlit by vast, open windows, I hoped that the installation could connect people with the natural environment outside the exhibition space.

“The Root” was first presented to the public in 2012, and visitors were invited to tie one knot to “The Root” to mark one of their most important memories.  Initially the visitors acted as suggested; but as the installation was open on the eves of the Lunar New Year, they began to write New Year’s wishes instead of memories, and “The Root” became a “wishing tree”!

The audience’s participation brought about an insight: a piece of art, no matter how beautiful it may be, is still a lifeless object.  However, with all their hopes and memories projected onto it, the artwork becomes alive.  

「記憶根」變「許願樹」

您有否聽說過我們最早的「書寫」系統 – 結繩記事? 現今已無人能解讀這些結。在這社交媒體盛行的時代，對於習慣在個人博客、Facebook、Twitter、Whatsapp、短信等記下生活上的細節的我們，實在難以想像如何通過打結去記錄這些鷄毛蒜皮，因爲可能不到一個星期，就迷失在成千上萬的繩結海裡去了。古人以打結來記錄的相信是很重要的事，會是什麼呢?可怕的災難? 抑或重要的人生階段，如出生、結婚和死亡? 試想有一天，我們耗盡了電源和其他資源，不得不回去使用這「會說話的疙瘩」，您會用它們傳達記錄甚麼信息呢?

在進行中國書法的創作時，我熱衷於用中國字的原型做實驗。學傚上古人的「結繩記事」，我將自己過去一年的書法作品全部搓成繩索，然後懸起如樹根，希望將人和窗外的大自然連繫起來。在2012年「根」的首次展覽上，我邀請每位訪客在「根」上打結，以紀念他生命中最重要的人或事件。

起初一切按照計劃進行。但因時值農曆新年前夕，訪客開始不只打結，還陸續將寫有他們新年願望的紙條懸掛到根上；最後，「記憶根」竟然搖身一變成了「許願樹」!

一開始我非常驚訝，因為這跟作品本意有所出入。但平靜下來後，我開始想到「結繩」在古代很可能不只是單純用於記錄過去事情，更還可能代表著我們祖先的祈望。

觀眾的參與，也帶給我一個啟示：一件藝術品，無論它多麼美麗，仍然是死的。然而，當人們把希望和回憶傾注到它身上，即賦與它生命力。