In 1987, the first email that was sent from China reached the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. The message conveyed identical content in German and English: “Across the Great Wall we can reach every corner in the world.” Revisiting this communication 37 years later, it has evolved into an ironic metaphor, shedding light on the seemingly divided dualities of China, demarcated by its symbolic border of the Great (Fire)Wall. Moreover, amidst the prevalent discourse advocating for the decoupling/de-risking from China in Europe and America, this screening seminar aims to prompt viewers to contemplate the current geopolitical landscape in both transnational and global perspectives. 

This program is curated by Hanwen Zhang. 

Hanwen Zhang is an artist and filmmaker based in Berlin. Drawing from artistic research and field studies, his work examines specific landscapes, infrastructures, and mundane activities through images and texts. His recent research revolves around marginalized individuals’ exile, troublesome colonial heritage, and secret society activities in the backdrop of East Asian modern/contemporary history. Zhang holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts, New York, and has participated in various artist-in-residencies and fellowship programs including the Braunschweig Projects in Braunschweig, the Oberhausen Seminar in Oberhausen, the Fosun Foundation Art Residency in Shanghai, the BRIClab Video Art Residency in New York, etc.