[Script Info] Title: [Events] Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.13,0:00:02.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(upbeat music) Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.22,0:00:21.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- [Heidi] Sometimes I\Nfeel like it's the clay Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.77,0:00:23.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,telling me what to do. Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.41,0:00:27.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I just submit to\Nthis very cruel mistress. Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.79,0:00:30.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(suspenseful music) Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.94,0:00:36.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It really feels like I am the medium. Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.50,0:00:42.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Something passes through me or\Nmy hands directed by the clay. Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.17,0:00:46.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead of me sculpting it, Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.55,0:00:48.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's like it's sculpting me back. Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.21,0:00:50.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Heidi laughing) Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.60,0:00:54.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's like a conduit for spirits. Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.30,0:01:00.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My name is Heidi Lau and I'm a sculptor Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.15,0:01:02.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I work primarily in clay. Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.85,0:01:06.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(birds chirping) Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.78,0:01:34.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Working in clay, literally\Nthe most gentle touch Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.17,0:01:37.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you put on it becomes\Nembedded into the material. Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.71,0:01:43.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's just continuous\Nmaking layers upon layers. Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.07,0:01:49.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everything I've learned I just taught\Nmyself. I think the only technique Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.81,0:01:55.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I use is just scoring\Nthe clay, putting slip on it Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.91,0:01:57.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then attaching the work. Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.64,0:02:02.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The hands are probably one of the Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.49,0:02:03.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Heidi laughs) Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.51,0:02:05.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,longest running elements Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.95,0:02:07.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in my work. Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.29,0:02:11.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I will never cast a real hand Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.07,0:02:13.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you know, they kind of all like Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.32,0:02:15.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ghostly and they're elongated, Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.24,0:02:19.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to signify that it doesn't\Ncome from this world. Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.41,0:02:22.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yeah, so this is a preliminary sketch Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.71,0:02:24.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for my project at the catacomb Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.38,0:02:26.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and so this is the arch. Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.12,0:02:29.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The piece would hang from the\Nskylight down to the floor. Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.04,0:02:31.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(soft music) Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.48,0:02:39.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a lot of urns\Nwith drapery on top. Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.59,0:02:42.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's kind of a symbol for mourning Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.17,0:02:44.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I've been wanting to capture that. Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.70,0:02:47.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(calm music) Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.94,0:02:50.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I grew up in Macau, Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.50,0:02:53.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my childhood oscillates between Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.18,0:02:56.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,very strict Chinese parenting Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.39,0:03:01.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also me escaping my\Nhousehold and having adventures Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.72,0:03:06.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in lot of ruins while it was\Nstill a colony of Portugal. Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.50,0:03:12.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Portuguese has built\Na lot of cathedrals Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.27,0:03:15.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there are a lot of\Ncolonial style houses. Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.46,0:03:20.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I would spend a lot of time\Nwandering into the structures. Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.92,0:03:24.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm trying to capture that essence Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.21,0:03:28.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of structures you could get lost into. Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.21,0:03:30.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(soft music) Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.34,0:03:53.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(bell ringing) Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.88,0:03:58.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(car hoots) Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.74,0:04:02.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- Hi Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.64,0:04:06.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- [Heidi] Wing on Wo is a ceramic store Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.13,0:04:08.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Chinatown and it's actually one Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.27,0:04:12.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the oldest running\Nbusiness in all Manhattan. Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.50,0:04:16.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I became friends with the\Nowner Mei, five years ago. Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.26,0:04:19.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As soon as I stepped into the store, Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.14,0:04:21.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it just felt so familiar to me Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.50,0:04:25.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,'cause I had grew up in a\Nvery similar environment. Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.89,0:04:31.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I see Chinese diaspora quite similar Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.21,0:04:34.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the way I see how Mei runs her store. Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.41,0:04:38.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rethinking how ceramics\Ncould be interpreted, Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.03,0:04:42.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or reintroduced to contemporary times. Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.21,0:04:43.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If I could close my eyes, Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.35,0:04:46.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I could even see like the books\Nmy grandpa had on the shelf Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.25,0:04:47.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like his garden. Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.55,0:04:49.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While it's looking in the past, Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.48,0:04:53.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's also kind of like,\Ngives me a lot of like energy Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.60,0:04:58.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to create work both\Nfor now and the future. Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.53,0:05:01.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's why I want to\Nbring you this to like Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.68,0:05:05.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,'cause I want the actual\Nelements to kind of reference. Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.55,0:05:08.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(calm music) Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.70,0:05:10.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started thinking about using clay Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.66,0:05:15.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make a burial garment\Nafter my mom passed away. Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.15,0:05:16.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As a way to grieve, Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.81,0:05:18.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I began to look at a lot of burial objects Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.79,0:05:21.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from Han and Qin dynasty Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.92,0:05:25.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also watching a lot\Nof Chinese zombie movies. Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.08,0:05:26.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Heidi laughs) Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.80,0:05:29.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(suspenseful music) Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.94,0:05:36.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It feels right to grieve with my hands Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.87,0:05:39.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doing this very labor\Nintensive, almost the most Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.85,0:05:43.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,impractical thing you can\Nthink of to do with clay. Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.83,0:05:46.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The labor of it equals grieving. Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.66,0:05:50.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(calm music) Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.22,0:06:08.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(birds chirping) Dialogue: 0,0:06:11.48,0:06:14.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started taking very long\Nwalks during the residency Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.96,0:06:16.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's kind of how the project Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.90,0:06:20.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the catacomb\Nstarted taking shape slowly Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.07,0:06:22.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through this aimless, meditative walks. Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.74,0:06:27.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a daily exercise for myself to empty Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.28,0:06:30.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out my own ego when I am\Nable to get to that state Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.99,0:06:34.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the time that I could\Naccess this ancestral plane Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.61,0:06:36.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and find my way on the other side. Dialogue: 0,0:06:39.57,0:06:41.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(calm music) Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.09,0:06:49.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(chains clink) Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.33,0:06:50.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- Got it. Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.57,0:06:53.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(coins clink) Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.14,0:06:57.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- I see my work kind of as, Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.14,0:07:00.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,touch points between very opposing ideas Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.42,0:07:05.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between human and spiritual unknown. Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.55,0:07:10.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(calm upbeat music) Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.49,0:07:19.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I feel like at the core Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.51,0:07:23.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of me making work about\Ngrief is putting emotion Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.94,0:07:28.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into clay and really listening to it. Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.70,0:07:36.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It becomes something\Nfamiliar, something beautiful. Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.86,0:07:40.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(calm upbeat music)