How to get out of London in 30 days, 2014-2015, Printed A5 brochures, cardboard boxes, wooden pallet and performance, 80x60x30cm. ©Ting-Ting Cheng
‘This book is dedicated to the millions of immigrants residing in London. It aims to re-examine the collective experience of staying in the cosmopolis, giving them not only the method but also courage to choose an alternative route, offering a way to reject being a partner in crime in the system we loathe. In this book, we concluded 13 essential steps for the immigrants to leave their current life in London in 30 days.’
‘How to get out of London in 30 days’ is a reverse travel guide with an accompanied performance, aiming to reveal the imperialistic illusion constructed by mass media and the immigration policy of the British government. From the perspective of an immigrant in London, Cheng made the project while waiting for the result of a painstaking visa application – A period almost defined by restricted mobility. The work reflects the perpetual absurdity of the immigration policy and the growing xenophobic atmosphere.
For the exhibition, Cheng hired immigrants to give out the brochures in and around the exhibition space. All the brochures are hand-made by the artist herself (as an immigrant). The performance also reflects Cheng’s part-time job which not only tells us about the real life of an immigrant but also the precarious situation artists find themselves in when faced with the realities of work.
Documentation of the performance / public interaction
Ting-Ting Cheng
Taiwanese artist Ting-Ting Cheng was educated at University of Westminster in MA Photographic Studies, and received MFA degree in Fine Art at Goldsmiths College in 2012. Cheng’s practice applied images, videos, sound, texts and objects to form installations or interventions, exploring the concept of foreignness, nationhood, immigration by examining languages, history and mass media. Her works has been exhibited internationally, including solo exhibition at Taipei Fine Art Museum, Galerie Grand Siècle (Taiwan), Identity Gallery (Hong Kong), Gallery Nomart (Japan), Addaya Art Centre, Luis Adelantado (Spain), Rowan Art (London) as well as group shows including Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architechture (Shenzen), III Moscow International Biennale for Young Art (Moscow), Contemporary Art Festival Sesc_Videobrasil (Sao Paulo), National Art Museum of China (Beijing). She had participated artist in residencies at Addaya Art Centre (Spain), GlogauAIR (Berlin), Zero Station (HCMC), Beatrice Tate School, Ben-Uri Museum (London), Xianger (Taiwan) and INIVA (London).
THE XENOPHOBIA OF TIME? 