Who is Mai Ling?

Videostill vom “A beautiful alien girl” (HD Video, 7’15” | 2019), © Mai Ling

Vortragsreihe Freie Kunst: Mai Ling eingeladen von der Klasse Ingo Vetter
Mittwoch, 13 Mai 2020 um 18:00 Uhr über Microsoft Teams

Der Vortrag wurde aufgenommen und hier der Link zum Video:

Who is Mai Ling?

An Asian woman in Europe is often not perceived as a person/individual but a hybrid body connoting various cultural interpretations and sexual fantasies created by the ideologiesof a eurocentric society. The name of the artist collective, Mai Ling, refers to a series of sketch videos by Gerhard Polt (a German cabaret artist) dated in 1979, which represents the stereotypical image of Asian women in the occidental world. The concept of representing themselves as an artificial figure is essential for their artistic practice. By giving Mai Ling her own voice and manifestation, the artists point out a certain social reality in which they are objectified through their physical appearances and social ‚prejudgements‘.

In their presentation, the artist group will introduce one of their previous projects “Who is Mai Ling?” – a series of video/sound installations, performances and interventions in public spaces. Furthermore, their most recent work, “NOT FUNNY!”, will illustrate how art can be used as a means of protest in times where anti-Asian xenophobia is escalating.

About Mai Ling

Mai Ling– based in Vienna – is an association as well as an artist collective, contextualizing and fostering contemporary Asian art and culture with a focus on FLINT*.

Mai Lingalso offers a platform in which we can share our individual experiences and opinions about related subjects against racism, sexism, homophobia and any kind of prejudgment.

*FLINT: female, lesbian, intersexual, non-binary, transsexual.

Website:http://mai-ling.org/