On (Our) Friendship 关于（我们的）友谊 (Accordion)
Prompted by Ali Van for Rolodex in 2020, X and I had a conversation on (our) friendship. After some months X sent me the edited recording. I listened and listened, and found myself only began to understand X’s words - during the conversation, my mind had been too busy forming my next point, composing my next sentence; only in retrospect I could truly follow and receive the other. In 2020 I translated part of the conversation into English, and made it into an accordion for Rolodex. In April 2024 I revisited the conversation and made it into a pamphlet. That winter I heard fragments of it in X’s sound performance in Beijing. In 2025 I made it into an accordion again.
Instead of being a fossil from the past, this exchange has became a referencing point, with which I have an ongoing relationship. Its shape keeps changing because of my changing angle and distance. It teaches me new things about X, myself, and (our) friendship.
Stamped with a seal hand-carved by Jiang Jun in 2014, limited edition of 100, 2025
Prompted by Ali Van for Rolodex in 2020, X and I had a conversation on (our) friendship. After some months X sent me the edited recording. I listened and listened, and found myself only began to understand X’s words - during the conversation, my mind had been too busy forming my next point, composing my next sentence; only in retrospect I could truly follow and receive the other. In 2020 I translated part of the conversation into English, and made it into an accordion for Rolodex. In April 2024 I revisited the conversation and made it into a pamphlet. That winter I heard fragments of it in X’s sound performance in Beijing. In 2025 I made it into an accordion again.
Instead of being a fossil from the past, this exchange has became a referencing point, with which I have an ongoing relationship. Its shape keeps changing because of my changing angle and distance. It teaches me new things about X, myself, and (our) friendship.
Stamped with a seal hand-carved by Jiang Jun in 2014, limited edition of 100, 2025
Prompted by Ali Van for Rolodex in 2020, X and I had a conversation on (our) friendship. After some months X sent me the edited recording. I listened and listened, and found myself only began to understand X’s words - during the conversation, my mind had been too busy forming my next point, composing my next sentence; only in retrospect I could truly follow and receive the other. In 2020 I translated part of the conversation into English, and made it into an accordion for Rolodex. In April 2024 I revisited the conversation and made it into a pamphlet. That winter I heard fragments of it in X’s sound performance in Beijing. In 2025 I made it into an accordion again.
Instead of being a fossil from the past, this exchange has became a referencing point, with which I have an ongoing relationship. Its shape keeps changing because of my changing angle and distance. It teaches me new things about X, myself, and (our) friendship.
Stamped with a seal hand-carved by Jiang Jun in 2014, limited edition of 100, 2025