88 Conversations is a collaborative series of works created by award-winning photographer Erin Kornfeld & writer Charlie Schultz that combines photography and poetry to create dynamic portraits of the contemporary Chinese art community.

On Friday March 21, 2008 from 4 p.m. till 8 p.m., in association with Asian Contemporary Art Week and sponsored by DOMAINE DE CANTON: the world’s first ginger liqueur, Schultz and Kornfeld will host an open reception at their studio for a preview of 88 Conversations, but the exhibition will be open through the end of March. I had a chance to ask the artists a few questions about their project, their trip to China, and the state of Chinese art. See below for the interview.

What: “88 Conversations: Portraits of the Chinese Art Community” Open studio/art exhibition in conjunction with Asian Contemporary Art Week
When: March 22nd to March 31st 1pm-6pm
Where 13-17 Laight Street between Varick and 6th Avenue
Suite 26 5th Floor
New York, NY 10013
What’s the project all about? What do you hope to convey to viewers?

88 Conversations is a collaborative series of works that combines photography and poetry to create dynamic portraits of the contemporary Chinese art community. We met artists, curators, and scholars that propel the contemporary Chinese art movement in order to engage them in a conversation and make their portrait. Through these individual meetings we gained a deep understanding of this movement and think of each artwork as a homage to our exchange of ideas with the artist. The process behind the portrait is collaborative by nature creating an exchange of western and eastern ideas. Through conversations ranging in breath and depth we learn about the sitter’s journey, culture, and history and then transform these stories and ideas into a photographic portrait with written poetry.

How and why did you decide to make this happen? How did you pull it together, get in touch with artists? How did this trip compare to past trips there?

The whole process was really very organic. When began the project in the summer our goal was only to make portraits of the Diaspora community in New York, but as it happened we wound up spending a tremendous amount of time with the community, attending weddings, funerals, birthday parties, BBQs, dinners, gallery openings, etc. They really embraced us and we really dove into the whole immersion. What resulted was that after about three months this community really got behind our project, they really seemed to embrace the idea and they wanted to propel us, to give us a chance to see deeper into the their world.

So they told us to go to China, and they told their friends in China to expect us, so when we got to Beijing there was already a group of artists waiting for us. And then the whole thing started again, going out to dinners every night, spending a lot of time drinking tea, and coffee, and beer. We just kept meeting artists, and they would introduce us to more artists.

That’s what makes the whole thing special. Every person we have photographed, we were introduced to by a friend. So the pretext was always as friends meeting friends, as artists in conversation, never as us doing any sort of documentary journalism type thing. And that relaxed the whole experience, we had a lot more room to be playful, experiment, and in the end we all had a good time making the portraits. I’m sure that’s why the project has been so successful. I mean if the artists didn’t enjoy working with us and talking to us, they wouldn’t send us to hang out with their friends.

The nature of the two trips were very different. The first time we went to China we were totally foreign. We followed around a couple curators who introduced us to artists, but we were never on our own. We always had an entourage. The second time we went though, we were solo, totally self-reliant, and it earned us a certain level of respect from the artists. When they saw us back again, there was an understanding that we were actually quite serious and quite willing to take risks. It upped the ante so to speak, and as a result the second time around we made portraits of much more established artists.

Any interesting/funny lost-in-translation moments on the road?

Probably the best was when we were taking a train from Shanghai to Zhongzhou, which is about the equivalent of going from Boston to Kansas City. We decided to ride in the cattle car section of the train after having a terrible experience with the private car on the ride from Beijing to Shanghai.

So here’s the thing. There is no English on any of the signs at any of the stops and neither the conductors nor our fellow passengers speak a lick of English. Well we got on the train, not even knowing how to read which seat was ours, and immediately handed our tickets over to another passenger who recognized our distress and he led us to our bunks. About six hours later, and at this point the whole damn car has talked and laughed about what the hell two young Americans are doing in the cattle car, and we can’t understand anything but we can see them pointing at us and trying to talk to us and it was all very funny. But eventually everyone goes to sleep. So suddenly I am shaken awake. I don’t understand what the hell the guy is so frantic about. Then I realize there are five or six others like him all trying to get our luggage into the isle. I think they’re trying to rob us so I freak out on them. Finally I understand through their hand gestures that the next stop is ours and we better get ready to get off because the train only stops for two minutes. Thanks to the strangers we got off at the right stop, otherwise we would have ridden that train to who the hell knows where.

What was the process for writing the poems? Did you write them while on site where the photos were taken, after you saw the photos?

There is no set process for the poems. Sometimes they hit me like a bucket of water during the shoot and all I have to do is write it down. Other times I have to really work it, I have to lay out all the quintessential ideas and form them into a concise, rhythmic, little stroke of literature.

What’s the state of Chinese art/artists these days? How much freedom do they have to be creative? Are they free?

Things are progressing, but not in a clearly defined trajectory. Most of the artists who make politically controversial work don’t show it in China, although they make it there. It’s sort of like, don’t ask don’t tell, in a lot of ways, and everyone wants to have it both ways. Look at Cai Guo Qiang for example. Right now he’s the first Chinese born artist to have a retrospective at the Guggenhiem. He’s organizing the fire works display for the Olympics in August. So on one hand he’s working for the government. But then, some of the art he creates, like “Rent Collection Courtyard” is forbidden to be shown in China.