But when he grows up, tell him that his mother is dead
2024, HD video, B&W, sound, 02:10
The Goddess (Shennü) (1934) is a Chinese silent film that tells the story of an unnamed woman, who works as a sex worker in Shanghai to give her son an education. This classic film, featuring an iconic performance by the legendary Ruan Lingyu, reflects both the influence of Hollywood cinema and the struggles of women in a patriarchal society. In my reinterpretation, I appropriated a clip from the film, altering its speed and layering it with sound produced by analog synthesizer, trying to show the agony within her heart, creating a visceral emotional resonance that bridges the past with a contemporary lens.
To watch: https://vimeo.com/995584395