Saturday, June 11, 2011

A letter to my wife 4







Dear Fangfang,

I know why I always had a good feeling, because I had met a lot of smiles from strangers every day. If the people pass me, even if only once eyes met, the other will give me friendly smile. It is seldom happened in Shanghai.

Street performers like the city's graffiti in everywhere, become a cultural landscape. Artists are not beggars, they can win the respect and applause from passers. Everyone has the right to display their talents in any way, the police will not drive them. When I meet the street performers, I would stop and listen to their playing. Their voice always be mixed with the voice of the city, which is an indivisible whole, it’s wonderful. I noticed a detail that few Chinese artists in the street and very few Chinese will stop and give money to them, they are white and black.

I suddenly remembered that Ai Weiwei leave Beijing to New York that year,he said to his mother: I'm going home! I can understand his mood when he said this.
It is more clouds out the window, it’s rainning! Lightning, strong winds and rain.

Everyone I met will talk about Ai Weiwei with me , they know more than we do, I just listen. They talk about the Chinese government, China's human rights and freedoms. Finally, they told me that the Chinese government does not the Chinese people, just as the U.S. government does not the American people
.
Yesterday, I met a Japanese musician, she said to me: "I am so sorry for that war Japan to China." I did not think she would say this, I said: "It's history.We are good friends and good neighbors now. " My friend told me that the Japanese be welcome in America than Chinese. Because they are more politeness better than Chinese.
I can meet the parade on the streets every weekend. Sometimes they are hundreds people, sometimes thousands of people. They held up signs, shouting slogans, sometimes singing in unison. They smiled, it seems that this is their holiday. Police gathered around, helping to maintain order. Also, each police are heavily armed.

What is freedom? This is a really free country?

The rain is stop now, I think I'll go to a Thai friend's house for Thai food dinner. I bought a blueberry pie to bring, because I had seen Wong Kar-wai's film "My Blueberry Nights" , I always want to taste this pie.

Now is your 7:00 in the morning, kiss you!

Mu
June 8,2011

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

A letter to my wife 3







Dear Fang,
I write to you because I want to talk with you, I miss you. I have much to say only face to you.
It’s three weeks I came to New York. time like an arrow! At the first I see everything was fresh, face to everything with a little perturbed heart. Now everything become familiar, as if I've been here a long time. I can tell him when Some people ask me the road. People walking fast on the street, and their heads held high, looked straight ahead. I could not keep my speed, so, I remind myself to slowly, slowly, to observe. I really do not want me to become a passers like them, with blind eyes to everything.
I really like the schedule from Apexart, , but I visited things very slowly, I always miss some place. I remember you once told me,we needn’t more landscape,some feeling in your heart is ok.In these days, I always asked myself what place I should to go in New York? I am very pleased, Apex arranged many interesting places, even though I missed a lot of places. Rest day, I have went to the Guggenheim Museum, PS1 and Museum of Natural History. I felt so tedious when I came out of Museum of Fine Arts.It appears that there are many art galleries, go or not go is not important. I realized we shouldn’t to learn with the artworks from the museum, but we need more self-confidence.
Tourist! Yes, I'm a tourist, who can change this fact?How many experence for a tourist in so short time? So, for the public talking in the end,I just say what I know. Let it be!
I want to sleep! I will go to the Amsterdam market tomorrow.I looking forward tomorrow is a wonderful gift!
Take care!
Mu
June 4,2001