Presenting:
Before Falling Asleep, 2013
super 16 mm film transferred to single channel HD video, color/sound
Including:
Part 1 – The River and the Pond, 5’55
Part 2 – Two Pigeons, 4’31”
Part 3 – The Fire and the Tree, 5’09”
Part 4 – The Butterfly and the Flower, 4’53”
About the artwork
Before Falling Asleep is based on bed time stories for children, which uses actors to play natural things like pigeons, forest, fire, pond, and river. The artwork talks about the philosophy of moving forward and stagnation, trust and betray, distance and hometown, choices and mistakes.
Parents always read bed time stories for children before they sleep. Cheng Ran emphasizes the superposition of the philosophy and the dimly unconsciousness before fall asleep.
About artist
Cheng Ran, born in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China. He currently lives and works in Hangzhou. As a new media artist, Cheng Ran mainly apply videos and films as his art practice. His passion about video art originated from his private emotional expression, then gradually developed into an expression of personal issues by using video and film. Thus, he uses video artworks to express the exploration of inexpiable life issues. Cheng Ran applies basic film techniques in his art creation, such as cutting, reverse, montage, long take, etc. He emphasizes his personal emotions, rather than complete plot or narrative.
Arthub would like to thank Cheng Ran and Galerie Urs Meile for their generous support to make this screening program happen.
