Research and Other Investigations from China

Vice in Beijing: The Creators Project Returns to UCCA

Tatsuo Miyajima was showing alongside The Creators Project Beijing event at UCCA.

The Creators Project is one of the best live multimedia events to come to Beijing. Curated by Vice through an unlikely Intel partnership, this year’s second installment took over UCCA with massive art installations along with an evening of performances from an impressive roster of bands and solo acts. The Creators Project really provides an important platform for international interchange between artists, designers and musicians. Their dedication to the Beijing scene is also growing every year and helped arrange New Pants’ appearance at Coachella and also flew out Queen Sea Big Shark for the Creators Project event in New York City. The video below features installation pieces by Mick Rock and Barney Clay, Joao Vasco Paiva, United Visual Artists and Tatsuo Miyajima. I am already looking forward to next year.

Mick Rock and Barney Clay collaborate on a new David Bowie video for The Creators Project Beijing event.Tatsuo Miyajima was showing alongside The Creators Project Beijing event at UCCA.Fuhan, lead singer of Queen Sing Big Shark, strikes a pose in the United Visual Artists installation during The Creators Projects Beijing event.

Supermarket opens up in 798 for The Creators Project Beijing event.Yang Haisong of P.K. 14 works up a sweat at the Creators Project Beijing event.Zhang Shouwang performs a solo set at The Creators Project Beijing event.

The Creators Project takes over 798 in Beijing, China.

The Chinese Invasion Tour 2010

Carsick Cars ham it up for the camera on a Lower East Side rooftop during the only photo shoot on the tour. - New York, NY

P.K. 14, Carsick Cars, and Xiao He – three of Beijing’s preeminent underground musical acts – toured the United States for the first time in November of 2009 under the auspices of the Maybe Mars Chinese Underground Showcase. It was easily one of the most successful international tours pulled off by Chinese performers to date as they drew large, enthusiastic audiences up and down the east coast. Proving themselves more than just a novelty act, these musicians upped the ante and expectations for new music out of China which now incubates fresh, independent, and frequently irreverent voices in a country renowned for creative conformity and saccharine Cantonese pop. Even though it is too early to tell what may come of the innovative strides made by these musicians, there is no doubt that they will continue to break ground within Beijing’s nascent artistic landscape, helping to push the boundaries of an already expanding realm of independent thought and musical expression in China. I was lucky enough to be embedded with the bands throughout the tour.

P.K. 14 at soundcheck in Open Space. - Baltimore, MDXiaohe and Li Qing, drummer for Carsick Cars, fiddle with a piano between shows in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. - Shepherdstown, WVYang Haisong, lead singer for P.K. 14, relaxes outside during one of the few free days. - Shepherdstown, WV

Shi Xudong takes in some of the classics at the Museum of Modern Art. - New York, NYYang Haisong, lead singer of P.K. 14, executes one of his patented leaping splits during his performance at Club Polaris in Philadelphia. - Philadelphia, PACarsick Cars warm up in an empty UNC theater. - Chapel Hill, NC

Members of P.K. 14 head into Goodwill in search of lost American treasures. - Pittsburgh, PASome of the college bills ended up turning out the best audiences, especially at UNC. - Chapel Hill, NCCarsick Cars' short tour of Washington included a visit to the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. - Washington, DC

P.K. 14 rips through another set in Open Space. - Baltimore, MDXiaohe took advantage and worked the rowdy crowd with one of his best performances at the Velvet Lounge. - Washington, DCShi Xudong, bassist for P.K. 14, was easily bored with shopping on tour. - Pittsburgh PA

Sound Kapital Book Launch: Chinese Punk Decends on powerHouse Arena

People crowd around the makeshift stage at the powerHouse Arena

After three years of photographing and months of preparation, my first monograph, Sound Kapital, finally launched at the powerHouse Arena in New York this past Thursday. Hundreds of people showed up and the prints looked wonderful in the large space. The guests of honor, though, were the Chinese bands who flew in from Beijing to kick off their first USA tour. I could not have been more honored to get P.K. 14, Carsick Cars, and Xiao He to play short sets at the opening. These performers provided a great deal of inspiration to commit to the Sound Kapital portrait series. They are easily making some of the best music coming out of China. You can see some video of their performance thanks to Punkcast.

Photos from the Sound Kapital series hung at the powerHouse ArenaYang Haisong of P.K. 14 gets the crowd going at the powerHouse Arena

Shou Wang of Carsick Cars gets interviewed by MTV before his setPhotos from the Sound Kapital series hung at the powerHouse Arena