Video

Humans live on the same planet with the ginkgo – a living fossil that has been around for 200 million years. However, the ginkgo may be nothing more than a street tree, integrated in the city; as urban planners often choose it due to its prominent ability to adapt to various climates, resisting pollution and pests. In her work, Tang tries to understand this living entity that has existed even before the time of the dinosaurs – the tree that time forgot. She observes the ginkgo with a soft glance, while critically examining the shifting human desires, the interconnectedness between humans and non-human, and contemplates the temporality of the ginkgo in relation to that of other existences.

Because of the medicinal value of the nut, ginkgo biloba was once a popular health supplement in China in the 1990s, and trading in ginkgo biloba could bring in a significant amount of income. In Southern China, where Tang’s great grandparents lived, ginkgo trees grew lushly and were being traded in the midst of shifting human desires: from initially selling ginkgo nuts, to later selling entire ginkgo trees, uprooted due to the increasing demand for urban greenery. Through her exploration of the ginkgo tree and her inspiration from the ecological ethics and Chinese folk tales, she gradually built up her understanding of the ginkgo tree as a living entity.

• Sektion Section: Exhibition
• Programm Programme: Trembling Time