Assessment 2 - Final Work
Carrying on with the topic on "binaries", my experiments for assessment 2 were combining passersby's outfits and doing a cover of the song "Yellow" but combing the original Coldplay version and the Mandarin version from the movie Crazy Rich Asians. After previous experiments, I decided that when focusing on the topic of "binaries", instead of stressing the contradict relationships, we could also try to blur the binaries that distinguish the two things. After all, some things are not as different as we think to be; and even if there are differences, it does not mean that the heterogeneous aspects could not make peace with one another. Contrasting colors, women and men, feminine and masculine outfits, different colors of people... etc., could exist at the same time in harmony, just to name a few.
My final work was brought back to the binaries between the Eastern and Western culture but in a smaller scale, which I decide to use English and Mandarin songs as my major experiment on the blurring of binaries. I found a classic song for each language--"Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis Presley and "The Moon Represents My Heart (月亮代表我的心)"by Teresa Tung (鄧麗君). I merged the two songs together and at the same time reversed the language. In other words, I gave "Can't Help Falling In Love" Mandarin lyrics an English ones for "The Moon Represents My Heart". They are not translated versions of each song but I wrote new ones to make a coherent story while going through English and Mandarin lyrics.
To be honest, I found it quite odd at the beginning to make them into different languages, since the melody largely influences how many words (in terms of Mandarin) or syllables (in terms of English) could be fit in or to make sure the break of sentences still make sense. But aren't existing "norms" created by human in the first place? If the rules can be established manly, then it could also be re-established. It is like how stereotypes often limit the possibilities because the society told us it was "impossible" so we do not even dare to try.
For assessment 1, I presented the result of the Eastern and Western family in two separate figures. Yet, for assessment 2, I made only one final project with the two elements merged together. This makes me think about the way we "present" binaries could actually shade a different point of view. Merging two things into one could, of course, highlight the difference but at the same time show the similarity/non-violation of the two things. This could be a strong point to argue when we speak of discrimination. It often is the difference between groups that triggers discrimination but as a matter of fact, when two sub-categories were to be compared, it already means that they both belong to one superior category and this indicates that there inevitably will be some common factors in nature they share. If we think of things in that kind of mindset, the differences would not be such a big deal anymore.
To wrap up, even though it sounded a bit weird at the beginning, I got used to the result of how the two songs merged. I believe the fundamental common parts contributed a lot, which in this case, was the shared chords. People are adaptive animals, not only biologically speaking but also when it comes to changes in mindsets. In this era where we praise inclusive diversity, there still are exclusive behaviors in a negative tone and that is something we do not want to see. As human beings, we are able to open up new possibilities and ideas with an open heart to accept all kinds of differences and grow and evolve into one big melting pot.
你不懂 我為何難過 (You don't understand why I am sad)
你轉身之後 頭也不回的走 (You turned on your back and walked away without looking back)
I thought you will forever stay, but one day you walked away
Now we’re here again, the station that we met, but this chapter is the end
You sang me your favorite lullaby, said goodnight and kissed goodbye
Promises you made, turned into heartbreaks, I’ll never fall for you again
你轉身之後 頭也不回的走 (You turned on your back and walked away without looking back)
那些海誓與山盟 你都玩笑帶過 (You brushed off all the vows in a jokingly manner)
怎麼現在我才懂 (Why do I only now understand)
你終究 會離開我 (You will eventually leave me)
我學會 放手不挽留 (I learned to let go and not urge you to stay)
你轉身之後 頭也不回的走 (You turned on your back and walked away without looking back)
I see you in my dreams, asking whether I’ll forgive
In dreams you said to me, it’s the good old times you miss
你回頭 抓住我的手 (You turned back and grabbed my hand)
我轉身之後 頭也不回的走 (I turned on my back and walked away without looking back)
Can’t Help Falling In Love: https://youtu.be/vGJTaP6anOU
The Moon Represents My Heart: https://youtu.be/51xS4yXbryc
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