The Translation of Blood

So I'm looking for jobs, but in the meantime I have lots of free time. This being the case, I've agreed to take on a pro-bono translation project that I think is really fascinating.

One of the other regulars at the coffee shop I frequent is a prominent modern artist/art critic. He's recently returned to China from a twelve-year stint in Sweden and is working on various art-related projects in Dalian.

Recently, he traveled to Beijing to meet with Zhao Yue (赵跃), a young female painter and performance artist originally from Sichuan. He wanted to meet her and better understand her motivation behind "Lines" (格子)，a performance piece marked by startling self-violence.

My friend is a critic for the website artron, which is pretty much the main online venue for contemporary Chinese art. He's written a review of "Lines," titled She Says "No" to a World of Men, in which he interprets the piece as a feminist and political protest against the gender divisions and subjugations in modern Chinese society.

The article has generated much interest and controversy in the community, and my friend is hoping to have it published in western art magazines. He's asked me to translate the article into English; I think it will be a really interesting experience. The subject matter is thrilling-- philosophically, aesthetically, socially, politically-- and the translation itself will hopefully give me the challenge I've been looking for.

Don't show these pictures to the kids:

"Lines" （格子） by Zhao Yue （赵跃）