"Out of Place" from Leung Mee Ping - the Art, its Setting & Space

Leung mee ping focuses her video art work “Out of Place” on drifters circling in different Asian countries. The art work is parallel with her research background, which is issued based on ethic, community and memories of human living situation. Her study is also related her research on globalization. The art work “Out of Place” is actually matched to Ms. Leung’s research on the downside of globalization. It induced people to think about our social environment by looking into our society status.  

Inside the video, I sense sorrow while the drifters walking on the street. Many people are clean, dressing well, smiling, driving their cars passing these drifters. Such a huge contrast suddenly catch everyone to figure out what have been gone wrong. 

Although the video is without subtitle and capturing things we possibly experienced, it reminds us to rethink once more the problem of big cities in globalization. We still need to consider the minority of the society.

The setting of the video seem to have an idea. There are fabric screens hung at 90^o angles to each other. Screen may be placed in the middle of the room and you need to move yourself to avoid the screens. It makes me feel like I am the drifter and walking on the street whilst I need to avoid pedestrian. The setting of screens may hidden its meaning. At least, I view myself connected with the drifter.

 Some video installation may use technology to make it fancy, deliberately hiding something, changing the colour of the images and so on. “Out of Place” is somehow showing raw video footage. It does not involve afterwards adjustment. It rather gives the actual impression of the problem of drifter in large cities. 

In the exhibition, the room is small to show all the video but the artist utilizes the advantage of projectors so 8 videos can be shown at the same time in just a tiny room. 

Video Installation

In week5, we have lessons on video installation. It can be recorded in various types of videos. In terms of spacing, it can be fixed or changeable. Video normally reflects real objects as it captures the real things generally.

 

There are also video with afterwards effect adding. It can only capture part of the whole object and create areas for imagination. It can also display everything to provide a full picture. Personally, I think video art with something hidden. I rather like something miserable and unpredictable.

 

However, the way of recording can make difference of the final result of displaying. It can adjust zooming, contrast, lighting, black/white, rotation and so go. Thus, there are different ways of expression of the art. These difference may be little but sometimes can make significant effects.

 

While I am also doing an artist who utilizes video a lot, it would be good for me to focus more on understanding more video installation.

 

Someone may think that video always come together with description, script, subtitle, it is not the case of “Out of Place” from Leung Mee Ping. It can have no sound, it can simply recording someone behind for a few minutes.