Olav's Flip Flop Factory for Minsheng Museum

For the project Flip Flop Factory, I will produce a pair of flip flop sandals by hand in modeling clay. I will then make a series of molds from these objects. The molds will be used to cast as many flip flops as possible in brightly colored silicone rubber.

Flip Flop Factory has a range of possible manifestations. As a sculpture in a conventional exhibition context, it takes the form of a sizeable pile of colorful beach sandals on the floor.

In another setting, the fabrication itself could be made visible and Flip Flop Factory could become a primitive production line or sculpture studio where a group of fabricators are continuously casting more sandals, adding to the pile.

If the supply of flip flops is sufficient, viewers can be encouraged to pick a pair and take it home. There will, however, always be a starkly uneven number of left and right sandals, making it nearly impossible to find a complete pair in the same color.

The flip flops will look as much as “real” flip flops as my, somewhat limited, sculptural abilities permit. But as they are made from sculpture materials, they will be quite impractical to wear.

Flip Flop Factory employs the technology of fine arts fabrication -- from the hand-made original and the artisanal process of limited technical reproduction to the a final product in a fine arts material -- in order to attempt to mass-produce one of the most ubiquitous, cheaply produced objects in the world.


-Olav Westphalen

Think Again – Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing May 21-31, 2012.

Organised by Vision Forum.


Think Again is a transdisciplinary research project that brings together artists, curators, academics and inventors from Europe and China to reflect on the nature of creativity and how it can be encouraged. The project is a collaboration between Linköpings Universitet and various universities in and around Shanghai. It will be show publicly at The Mingshen Museum and Rockbund Museum, FCAC and other venues in May 2012. At this point, a series of private sessions will also take place.

Field of Research
The philosopher looks where to begin in philosophy by asking what being is, what thinking is, what knowledge is. In other words, he starts his work by eliminating all presuppositions. The artist looks all the presuppositions and looks for new ways of experiencing the world that surrounds us, while the scientists tries to measure the world by doing away with subjectivity and shortcomings of human perception.

What unites the philosopher, the artist and the scientist, is thought. Thinking is the foundation of all creativity – how can we develop existing ways of thinking and foster new patterns of thought? How can education, research and art be part of this process? Is true creativity in its nature conflictual and does it have to oppose to social convention?

Methodology
During 10 days in May 2012 a group of European and Chinese creators will meet for individual and shared research to investigate how thinking, knowledge and creativity is perceived and defined in different genres and different cultures. Some of the sessions will be held privately and others will be held publicly.

Specially conceived artwork will be shown at Mingshen Museum and FCAC. More performative presentations will tale place at Rockbund Museum and talks and discussions will take place at other venues: The Art Academy in Hangzhou, Shanghai Univeristy, Nanjing University, FCAC and 2666 Library.

Schedule:

All sessions will start with a screening of a video by Li Xiaofei shot in different factories in China and Sweden.

21 May – Arrival, press conference and official opening of Think Again in Shanghai in collaboration with the Swedish Consulate in Shanghai.

22 May – Olav Westphalen starts his performance/production at Mingshen Museum. Private sessions at Fei Art Center.

23 May – Private view and opening of Natasha Rosling’s exhibition at Fei Art Center. Private sessions at Fei Art Center.

24 May – Trip to Nanjing and public discussion at the Nordic culture centre at the Nanjing University.

25 May – Trip to Hangzhou and public discussion at the art academy of Hangzhou.

26 May - Per Hüttner works with architectural students at Rockbund Art Museum. Per Hüttner hosts public talk/performance at Rockbund Museum.

27 May – Opening/finissage of Olav Westphalen’s exhibition at Mingshen Museum and public talk/discussion. Wooloo hosts public talk/performance at Rockbund Museum.

28 May - Olafur Jonsson talks about Gaia Power plants at the 2666 Library in Shanghai. Private sessions at Fei Art Center.

29 May – Vincent Honoré, Qu Tan and Per Hüttner talk about the future of art education at the Art Academy in Shanghai.

30 May - Chen Wei tea session at 2666 Library in Shanghai. Private sessions at Fei Art Center.

31 May – Yang ZhiFei talks about her work. Private sessions at Fei Art Center. Closing ceremony.