Harvard Association for US-China Relations
Second annual symposium: ‘The art of representing China’
Trevor H. Simon Invitational lecture: ‘Becoming un-Executed’ 3rd April 2010 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT: Sociological interpretations of selected Chinese & American modern and contemporary art and their
spiritual utility for the self and society
Making use of selected Chinese and American modern and contemporary art imagery, Mr Simon will suggest a number of
comparative interpretations to draw a deeply personal narrative, and will correlate these images with economic, financial
and sociological data to posit spiritual linkages between art, finance and the self. Attention will be given to the real world
relevance of selected imagery as it relates to the healthiness of a society, the conduct of the individual and the implications
for the state of trust and fear within the self. It is hoped that this early stage work will enliven the wider debate as to the
relevance of art imagery, the risks inherent in any copycatting of American norms in a Chinese context, and the leadership
opportunities arising. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2 | Monday 18 January 2010
Trevor H. Simon
Mr Simon is an art investor and fund of hedge funds manager with an investment banking
background. Prior to hedge funds, Mr Simon was involved in private investment as arranger,
adviser &/or as joint or sole principal in a range of sectors including media, financial services,
leisure, alternatives, ports, and art & collectibles. Prior to private investment, to 2001 Mr Simon was
Director and Global Head of Strategy for the equities division of Deutsche Bank, and previously
was Head of Client Strategy at Société Générale responsible for the equities platform. Prior to
strategy roles Mr Simon worked for SG-Crosby in Asian institutional sales and as a researcher at
the World Markets Research Centre focusing on the Gulf region.
In addition to his commercial activities, since the mid 1990’s, Mr Simon has assembled and
advised on a dual collection of Chinese and American modern and contemporary art around a
range of principal themes looking primarily at the spiritual relationship between art and finance. The
Simon and BTC collections of acquired and reserved works include: (Chinese) Zhang Xiaogang,
Cai Quo Jiang, Yue Minjun, Wang Guanyi, Li Chen, Chen Yu, Zhang Lin Hai, Fang Lijun, Tang Zhi
Gang, Fang Zheng, Guo Jin, Liu Ye, Feng Zhen Jie and Li Shan; (American) Chuck Close, James
Rosenquist, Marylyn Dintenfass, Wolf Kahn, Andy Warhol, Richard Tuttle, Paul Wonner, Marsden
Hartley, Stuart Davis, Charles Sheeler, John Marin, Alfred Maurer, Georgia O’Keefe and Arthur
Dove. A number of works are indicated for gifting to European and US museums, and a separate
sale program has set multiple world records for various artists.
Mr Simon has an undergraduate degree in Management and Systems Science from City University
and has been invited as a Guest Lecturer to LBS, NYU-Stern, Shanghai, Wharton and Harvard
universities on art investment and strategy.
Speaker bio
3 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
4 | Monday 18 January 2010
The American experiment with turbo-individualism
has fractured its’ finances and its’ families.
Must China do the same.....?
5 | Monday 18 January 2010
Killed by culture
Yue Min Jun, Execution, 1995
6 | Monday 18 January 2010
Commonality: a platform for collectivism or individualism? Who am I really? How can I be heard? Does fitting in alienate?
Sui Jianguo, Mao Jacket, 2008 Rene Magritte, The Son of Man, 1964
7 | Monday 18 January 2010
Numbing out: Western & Asian (Japanese) approaches
Pills / anime... West and East... both deaden the senses, both subvert shame, both stall maturity
MR., untitled, 2008
8 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
9 | Monday 18 January 2010
- Neglect
- Abandonment
- Enmeshment
- Abuse
- Shame
- Maladaption
- Dysfunction
- Immaturity
- Surrender
- New identity
- Spiritual opening
- Growth in maturity
TRAUMA PAIN BARRIER ...RECOVERY
Stages in developmental maturity
Source: Facing Co-dependence, Pia Mellody,1991
10 | Monday 18 January 2010
Trauma (and recovery) can be considered at the
level of the State, not just the individual…
11 | Monday 18 January 2010
Victim no more: happiness over success – be yourself
• Trauma
• Shame
• Maladaption
• Control
• Denial
• Low self esteem
• Dysfunctional coping
• Betrayal bond
• Addictive behaviour
• False G-d’s
• Reaching bottom
• Recovery
• Search for identity
• Spiritual opening
Is China codependent
?
Is America in denial
?
Are both recovering
from trauma ?
12 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
13 | Monday 18 January 2010
Shaky foundations
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
Savings collapse U.S. personal savings rates, %
Mental illness ‘grows’ DSM codes, #
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis Source: US Drug and Alcohol Service Information
Addiction treatment leaps U.S. treatment centres, #
14 | Monday 18 January 2010
Save me!
Nobody to catch me... Psychiatric resources
Source: World Health Organisation, Mental Health Atlas, 2005 Source: World Health Organisation
...and will they be able to hold me? Comparative obesity rate, BMI >30%
15 | Monday 18 January 2010
Live and let live – execution no more
Suicide – an esteem issue Rate per 100,00 population
Source: WHO Source: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation
- comfort-eating shows poor esteem US v China ratio of daily sugar consumer per person
16 | Monday 18 January 2010
Pity the children Income vs child well being for developed countries, 2009
Source: The Children’s Society ‘Good Childhood’ report, 2009
UNICEF index
of child
well-being
National income per person ($)
Higher
Lower
17 | Monday 18 January 2010
Keep dreaming Yes you can! - but its difficult
Source: The Children’s Society ‘Good Childhood’ report, 2009
Lower
Higher
Intergenerational
income
persistence - How far parents
income predicts their
children’s
Child poverty rate
18 | Monday 18 January 2010
Tempers fray: TV and comity don’t go together Behaviours per degree of agreement that: “...TV is my primary form of entertainment”
Gave the finger
to another
driver
Worked on a
community project
Average nos
of occurences
Source: Bowling Alone, Prof Robert Putnam, Simon & Schuster, 2000
19 | Monday 18 January 2010
Dreaming difficulties: intense denial Those aged 12+ needing but not receiving treatment for illicit drug or alcohol use: 2006
Source: IPRS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive National Survey 2006
20 | Monday 18 January 2010
Shaky foundations U.S. private debt
Source: U.S. Federal Reserve
21 | Monday 18 January 2010
Shaky foundations
Who runs this place? US financial-industry debt as a % of GDP
Identity tsunami % of US labour force unemployed for more than 6months
Source: The Atlantic magazine Source: U.S. Federal Reserve
22 | Monday 18 January 2010
In God We (don’t) Trust
Source: Towers Perrin, Tort industry study, 2010
Failure of trust Cumulative U.S. Tort costs and GDP growth,1950 - 2009
Perc
enta
ge c
han
ge
23 | Monday 18 January 2010
Are we having fun yet?
24 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
25 | Monday 18 January 2010
Bigger buildings, smaller selves.....
External deification seeds internal malaise....
Thus the buildings (& the selves) inevitably will fall...
26 | Monday 18 January 2010
A bridge to a new God
Joseph Stella, Study for Brooklyn Bridge, 1922 Chartes Cathedral, France, various images
27 | Monday 18 January 2010
New temples Height development of the worlds tallest buildings historically
28 | Monday 18 January 2010
Too much choice, not enough leadership x
Andreas Gursky, 99 cent, 1999
29 | Monday 18 January 2010
False God as comfort
Barbara Kruger, Untitled (I shop therefore I am),1987
The diefication of consumption
30 | Monday 18 January 2010
Temptation masters man
Jenny Holzer, Survival Series, 1985
31 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
32 | Monday 18 January 2010
Trust in God, not (a) man...
33 | Monday 18 January 2010
Man portrayed as God…. i.e. Mao is greater
“Forging ahead courageously while following the greatest leader Chairman Mao”
Official poster, Chinese Communist Party poster, 1969
34 | Monday 18 January 2010
Mao is everywhere, all walks of life and leisure
Zhang Hongtu, Ping Pong Mao, 1995
Mao as God – ubiquitous, in all pursuits
35 | Monday 18 January 2010
Mao as God – he is all seeing, he is behind all doors
Zhang Hongtu, Front Door, 1985
36 | Monday 18 January 2010
Mao as God… ie Mao can kill and replace Jesus
Guo Brothers, Execution of Christ, 2009
37 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
38 | Monday 18 January 2010
Embedded rage Avoided shame maladapts into resentment expressed as rage (or repressed leads to addiction)
Guangyi, Second set, 1985
39 | Monday 18 January 2010
Evidence of decay
Zeng Fanzhi, Meat series, 1992 Liu Wei, Who Am I, 2000
40 | Monday 18 January 2010
Implosion of personality – dissolution of self
Yang Shaobin, Fighting no20, 1999 Francis Bacon, Self Portrait, 1973
41 | Monday 18 January 2010
Infant leaders: traumatised and broken, thus immature
Tang Zhi Gang, Children In a Meeting, 2002
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
42 | Monday 18 January 2010
Glascine, flat-line, barely living…
Zhang Xiaogang, Bloodline: The Big Family no 3, 1999
43 | Monday 18 January 2010
Dissociation complete
Zeng Fanzhi, Mask Series no 9, 2001
44 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
45 | Monday 18 January 2010
Coping……… (dysfunctionally)…….
46 | Monday 18 January 2010
Loss of identity: Western sources of differentiation
Wang Guangyi, Political Pop, 1993 Ai Wei Wei, dynastic vase, 2005
47 | Monday 18 January 2010
Search for new identity: a classic trauma response Comfortable as un-comfortable… putting on a good show
Weng Fen, Health / Fashion / White Collar, 2000
48 | Monday 18 January 2010
Consumerism: desolation, a spiritual desert
Elmgreen and Dragset,
Prada Marfa, 2005
49 | Monday 18 January 2010
Personality fragmentation Re-integration vital.. mutual trauma in American and Chinese society
Zeng Fanzhi, We n:2, 2002 Chuck Close, Self Portrait, 1986
50 | Monday 18 January 2010
Walled in (emotionally), repressed, adult-children Defence as prison
Zhang Lin Hai, untitled, 2001
51 | Monday 18 January 2010
Dissidence - a vent for anger and frustration “I have to speak for people who are afraid!”
Ai Weiwei, Tiananmen, 2000
Ai Weiwei, White House, 1999
52 | Monday 18 January 2010
False pride and super size (insecurity)
Marsden Hartley, Finnish-Yankee Wrestler, 1916 Zhang Huan, My New York, 2005
53 | Monday 18 January 2010
Consequences...... dysfunctional ones....
54 | Monday 18 January 2010
Alienation of the individual: controlled, powerless
Yang Jing, Lucky Fortune, 2004 Coca Cola Inc, Love It Light campaign, 2010
55 | Monday 18 January 2010
Relationship failures, numbing-out on work
Xu Yong, Solution Scheme D1 and D2, 2007
56 | Monday 18 January 2010
Family breakdown
Source: PRC National Bureau of Statistics
Note: Marriage rate in the period stayed roughly constant with
a 14.4% peak-trough and 6.4% maximum mean variance
Feng Zheng Jie, Untitled, 2003
Three times more? PRC divorce, %*
Divorce as a % of marriages
in 2005 in the US was 46%
280%
increase
57 | Monday 18 January 2010
Broken homes
58 | Monday 18 January 2010
Realisation………
59 | Monday 18 January 2010
Trauma break, questioning, out of denial
Luo Zhongli, Father, 1980
60 | Monday 18 January 2010
Out of denial, denial of false identity
Luo Zhongli, Father, 1980
(detail)
61 | Monday 18 January 2010
Reflation post-trauma: coming back to life
Michelangelo, Creation of Adam, 1511 Chen Yu, no 17, 2002 Chen Yu, no 13, 2002
62 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
63 | Monday 18 January 2010
Coping……… (healthily)…….
64 | Monday 18 January 2010
Dilution of false God’s: Mao as man, brands as specious Flawed lofty ideals, ignoble realities
Artus, Bitch, 2007
ZEVS, Visual Attack, 2008
65 | Monday 18 January 2010
Shame accepted, the betrayal bond finally breaks
Guo Brothers, Mao’s Guilt, 2008
66 | Monday 18 January 2010
Questioning values
Ai Weiwei, Dropping a Han dynasty vase, 2006
67 | Monday 18 January 2010
Integration of old with new
Shao Fan, King, chair, 1996 Xu Bing, Art For The People
1999
68 | Monday 18 January 2010
Then and now… back to wholeness From glascine to glowing
Codependent no more: what a difference Recovery can make…
69 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
70 | Monday 18 January 2010
Trauma and recovery Never forget national humiliation, rejuvenate China!
HONOUR
Gaining glory
Processing humilliation
SHAME External Internal
Civilisation
Barbarism
71 | Monday 18 January 2010
Integration in art and self
HIGH LOW
LOW
HIGH
SERENE
Marylyn Dintenfass
GOOD & FRUITY
2009
Amount
of risk
taking
Degree of
trust
Risk
Trust
FEARFUL
BROKEN RECKLESS
72 | Monday 18 January 2010
World’s collide:
Source: ‘Breakout’, Melissa Chiu, Asia Society, 2006
East
Symbolised by Buddha on a lotus
Rule by man
Centralised imperial power
Intuition / meditation
Self restraint
Nothingness
Conform to nature
Acupuncture
Passive
West
Symbolised by Jesus on a cross
Rule by law
Democracy / civil rights
Intellect / analysis
Venting
Success / riches
Analyse nature
Surgical operation
Active
Ah Xian value summary
73 | Monday 18 January 2010
Restoration (never enough…)
Identity
Security
Olympic Opening Ceremony, Beijing, 2008
74 | Monday 18 January 2010
Remedies (1) …leadership of, by, self
Art screams for leadership of self
Chinese identity must deliver what America has not
Responsibility rather than indulgence
Take proper place on world stage
Shame is to be digested not avoided
Harmony of self (not society) cures society
75 | Monday 18 January 2010
Remedies (2) …nurturance, acceptance
Respect art, dwell on it, let it work on you
Have a disconnection day
Let go of shame: past as platform, not prison
De-programme from mass culture
Enjoy your century
Rise in harmony with society and self
76 | Monday 18 January 2010
Remedies (3) …responsibility
Target emotional poverty, not just financial
Target message pollution, not just environmental
Create community credits, not just carbon ones
Send top 3 fears to Google for emotion mapping
Stand up, take your place
“There is more to life than increasing its speed” (Gandhi)
77 | Monday 18 January 2010
Execution and execution
Paradigm of trauma and recovery
Societal trauma
Wrong God? - America
Wrong God? – China
Broken people
Realisation, coping, consequences
Attempts at recovery
Integration
The future
78 | Monday 18 January 2010
Now what…?
Buyout of US artistic heritage
Hegemonic shift
Novel structure
Trauma
Recovery
Art
Finance
79 | Monday 18 January 2010
Nothing to fear
Empowered
China
America
80 | Monday 18 January 2010
The future of Chinese identity
You
Know thyself
Harvard Association for US-China Relations
Second annual symposium: ‘The art of representing China’ Invitational lecture: ‘Becoming un-Executed’ Trevor H. Simon 3rd April 2010
______________________________________________
THANK YOU ______________________________________________