AìLìSī
HD video with sound, 9’31’’
2019
This short video was initially commissioned by JD.com and 798 Art District in Beijing. Eight artists were invited to each create a piece of artwork using cardboard boxes with JD logo on. The work was then showcased as a site-specific video installation in exhibition “Re-Cycle” at Beijing 798 Art Centre to help promote environmental friendly retail system.
The title of this work AìLìSī, is named after the Chinese pronunciation of Beethoven's Für Elise. An electronic version of this song is played from the robots organising goods inside distribution centres of JD— one of the largest B2C online overall retailer in Asia.
This work is an observational visual diary threaded by the soundtrack of Für Elise. Just like the mystified identity of Elise in history, this work examines our desire of ownership and longing for new, hence here the name is used as a metaphoric symbol. AìLìSī invites the audience to follow the artist’s wander and observing the systematically organised, encyclopaedic library of objects, from columns of iPhones to boxes of frozen chicken wings, from cotton buds to inflatable sex dolls.
*this video was shot under a one-day-only permission and strict scrutiny from JD team. Certain footages have been removed as requested.
