A TEMPORARY COMMUNITY

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Hou Hanru: This exhibition is the result came out of your residency with Kadist Art Foundation last year. How did you conceive the project? 

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Lin Yilin: It is often in a rush when I go to other places and cities to make works for exhibitions. Because of the invitation from Kadist Foundation this time, I was able to stay in the city for three months. With abundant time, I could get to understand the city in depth. I walked around many streets and talked to many people, including some senior Chinese Americans as well as teachers and students from the San Francisco Art Institute. I communicated with people of different ages, including young people from China and other places who came here to study. I received relatively ample information and resources which enabled me to take time to shape my thoughts. San Francisco’s geographic environment and the characteristics of being a tourist city have given me very refreshing feeling at the beginning. I started to think about the project after the feeling of freshness gradually faded away.

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Hou: You mentioned in your artist statement that the geographic environment is a key element in the project. At the initial thinking stage, what was your understanding of San Francisco’s geographic environment?

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Lin: In general,  my first understanding to the place was no different compared to an ordinary tourist.  My