DRACHENBAU

The conversation traces the mythological figure of the dragon: While the western version is associated with caves, fighting and monstrosity, the energetic version in East Asia tends to be associated with the sky, order and the water cycle. Similar to Bitterfeld-Wolfen, the industrial city of Fushun in north-eastern China was built in the 20th century around a gigantic coal mine that has since been decommissioned. How does a dragon relate to this churned up and drained subsoil? How and where do the traditionally lucky mythical creatures appear here, where do they retreat to? In a year dedicated to the dragon in China, artist Anna Zett embarks on an associative and acoustic journey to a post-mining landscape in Manchuria. Initiated and mediated by the research curator Caroline Ektander and in exchange with Mia Yu and Shuyu Chen, she brings stories about fear and control to life in a performative dialog.