We are currently working on the ‘Wishing Project’ since July 2019. It is an ongoing project continuing to happen in different places and spaces all around the world. After finishing an intense period of collaboration in Glasgow, we collected a big bag of coins from our everyday life. Sharing the experience of growing up in China, we noticed in the futuristic post-socialist multi-god society, people tend to pray or make wishes to omnifarious gods or spirits, sometimes at ridiculous scenes with unbelievable behaviours when being observed from outside. Reflecting on the intricate social behaviours, we initiated this project to arrange the heavy wealth which worth little for real-world purchasing, meanwhile to ensoul everyday space and place, transferring them into monuments through a series of performances.

 

Wishing Tower, Performance/Intervention, 1h30min, Tate Modern, London, UK, 2019. 

 

We were standing in front of the wall near the entrance of Tate Modern, under the main tower of Tate, where visitors passing by entering the gallery or staying for a while taking pictures for the memorial. We threw coins one by one towards the wall, followed by making a wish sincerely with hands together and eyes closed each time when the coin touch the upper wall we were facing. Some visitors stopped to watch us and joined the scene of throwing coins onto the wall and made their own wishes spontaneously. Some talked to us and asked questions. Some picked up the money and put it in their pocket then walked away.