Tree Hole (your secret is safe with me) 树洞（我会保守你的秘密）

Curated by Constanza Valenzuela, on the High Line, August 17, 2024.

The performance is inspired by the medieval Irish folktale “The Emperor’s Donkey Ears,” in which a barber learns his emperor secretly has the ears of a donkey. The emperor threatens the barber that if the secret is leaked, he will have him beheaded. The barber, unable to bear the weight of knowing this secret alone, whispers it into the hole or hollow of a tree. Versions of this tale exist worldwide: in Greek mythology as King Midas and a field of reeds, in Ireland as Labhraidh Loingseach and a large willow, and in Korea as Gyeongmun and a bamboo. The specific plant varies, but the theme of emotional release and companionship with nature remain. In China, the ‘tree hole’ has recently become a metaphor for anonymous confessions on deactivated social media accounts due to internet regulations.

During the performance, Chang Yuchen performed as a ‘tree hole’. Visitors were invited to share their secrets with her, which she promises to keep safe. Like a tree, Yuchen was mostly silent, offering responses such as eye contact or advice only upon request. She understands English and Mandarin but is open to all languages, ensuring confidentiality.

Presented in conjunction with Pamela Rosenkranz, Old Tree, 2023, a High Line Plinth Commission.

Photo by Liz Devine. Courtesy of the High Line.