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“Beijing World Park” (“The World”) consists of the worldwide architectural landmarks in miniature. Its slogan is “Walking around the world without leaving Beijing.” Why is walking around “The World” (like) walking around the world? What is the significance if walking only becomes a spectacle activity? In Jia Zhangke’s film, The World (2004), such landmarks simply pass in front of tourists’ gaze on a sightseeing train, instead of the spectator touring around them. Walking, as a way of participating in a place, is not needed. Speed compresses reality into the ‘phantasmagoric’ spectacle.
The essay will discuss how “The World,” a miniature of the “world,” is also the miniature of the spectacle Beijing, which misrepresents Beijing in cultural and anthropological terms, does reflect represent the political economy in Beijing. “The World” concretely manifests the abstract power of capitalist ideology and the superficial understanding of modernization. Connection between landmarks in “The World” is empty. Heterogeneous relationships in the anthropological Beijing are screened out.
The World ends with the following conversation: ‘Have we died?’ ‘No, it is just the beginning!’ Tao, the main character in the film, wants to escape from ‘The World’; however, being imprisoned in the eternal return of the spectacle, she is already in the world. What is the possibility of escape if there is no inside and outside distinction? If there is only the eternal return of the spectacle ‘walking’ in Beijing, how can she, being intoxicated in a phantasmagoric state, learn from Tao?Dear all.
Just a message about possible publication opportunities stemming from The Mediated City Conferences: London – Los Angeles.
A book publication from these joint events is planned with Cambridge Scholar Publishing. However, in the light of extensive interest, we are planning an independent book that picks up specifically on the themes of the LA event:
An examination of the modern city in the 50 year anniversary of Marshall McLuhan’s Understanding Media and his notion of “the global village”.
We are particularly interetsed in a film-architecture-city perspective. This publication is independent of the conferences and is intended to include extensive contributions from a limited range of authors unable to attend the event. Expressions of interest should be sent to Graham cairns: [log in to unmask]
For more information on the theme visit:
http://architecturemps.com/los-angeles/
THE MEDIATED CITY – Part Two – Los Angeles
…50 years in the global village – an examination of the modern city in the technological age
CONFERENCE
Place: Los Angeles
Dates: October 01-03, 2014
Host: Woodbury University
Key dates:
15 Feb 2014 Deadline for abstracts
15 June 2014 Deadline for full papers / detailed proposals
01-03 Oct 2014 Conference – Los Angeles (Woodbury University)
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