Ming Wong: Life and Death in Venice

April 12, 2013 to June 02, 2013

In conjunction with the fourth annual Cinema Pacific film festival, which this year focuses on the cinema of Singapore and Mexico, Singapore-artist Wong shows his 3-channel Life and Death in Venice. Entirely self-directed, produced and conceived during his presentation for the Singapore Pavilion during the 53rd Venice Biennale, the film was short in several locations identified and used in the book and film. Wong plays both Tadzio and the aging composer and provides the soundtrack of the Visconti film (Mahler’s Symphony No. 5) via a flawed performance on the piano.

Also on view at White Box, University of Oregon in Portland, is Life of Imitation (2009, 13 min.), a looped 13-minute double-channel installation. Originally commissioned for the 53rd Venice Biennale Singapore Pavilion, this work is inspired by the classic Hollywood melodrama Imitation of Life, where a black mother meets her mixed-race daughter who has been running away from her true 'identity'. This version features three male actors from the main ethnic groups in Singapore (Chinese, Malay and Indian) taking turns to play the black mother and her 'white' daughter. The identity of the actor for each role constantly changes with each shot. Life of Imitation is on view April 4 - May 4, 2013.