Walker Art Center to host prominent Beijing film maker Zhao Liang for People’s Republic of Cinema

By Albert Leung, Staff Writer
 
The Walker Art Center, in partnership with the University of Minnesota, will continue its People’s Republic of Cinema series on into the New Year with documentaries from modern Chinese film artist Zhao Liang. Starting on Dec.17, 2009 and running through Mar. 14, 2010, the Walker Art Center will feature the Beijing-based artist’s visual piece called Heavy Sleepers.

By Albert Leung, Staff Writer
 
The Walker Art Center, in partnership with the University of Minnesota, will continue its People’s Republic of Cinema series on into the New Year with documentaries from modern Chinese film artist Zhao Liang. Starting on Dec.17, 2009 and running through Mar. 14, 2010, the Walker Art Center will feature the Beijing-based artist’s visual piece called Heavy Sleepers.

Beijing-based artist’s visual piece called Heavy Sleepers
 
The 18-minute video depicts the interior of migrant construction workers’ dormitory and the sacrifices made by these laborers while helping the massive construction efforts for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
 
“Zhao Liang is a modern film artist who likes to make films about the unseen life in China,” said Sheryl Mousely, Walker Art Center’s film curator.
 
Zhao’s work has been featured at the Walker Art Center in previous years but this time artist will make a special appearance on Jan. 30, 2010, to personally discuss his work and greet visitors. The Walker Art Center will also feature three other documentary films by Zhao including Narrative Landscape, Petition and Crime and Punishment for its People’s Republic of Cinema series.
 
This film series, which started in October, was developed in partnership with the University of Minnesota. It is meant to examine the development of modern China through the eyes of its prominent filmmakers starting in 1949, which marked the beginning of the Mao Era in China.
 
“People have a real curiosity of China,” said Mousely. “We have had a lot more people than we anticipated come to our showings during People’s Republic of Cinema.”
 
The documentary Petition premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and will be shown at the Walker Art Center on Jan. 29, 2010. The film depicts true accounts of petitioners who travel to Beijing from all over China to file complaints about abuses and injustices committed by local authorities. The film shows the long months or even years complainants are forced to wait for justice while facing intimidation from local authorities.
 
Narrative Landscape will run in conjunction with Zhao’s visit on Jan. 30. The 25-minute video shows the effect of time and decay on the Great Wall, one of China’s most prominent and storied historical landmarks. Visitors that day will be treated to an introduction by Zhao before the showing.
 
The third film set to premier at the Walker Art Center documents the daily lives of young Chinese guards who man the border between North Korea and China. Crime and Punishment depicts the relationship the guards have with the range of locals in the area that they meet while on duty.
 
For more information on these upcoming films at the Walker Art Center, visit www.walkerart.org.