CUENTOS CHINOS, MONO-CHANEL VIDEO, 26` 2010
Sponsored by “Obra Social Caja Madrid. Generaciones 09” project grant.
Video that compiles 13 traditional Chinese tales in Spanish, Basque or Catalan, told by young Chinese people –first generation born in Spain or that arrived in Spain at a very young age.
Chinese culture is known for its oral tradition, for passing on its knowledge through tales learnt since childhood. These tales offer an outstanding richness and deep teachings.
Since 2000, I started to see more and more Chinese immigration in Madrid, Spain. At that time that community was still not integrated in our society. In 2008, travelling to the South of Spain I heard for the first time a Chines-Spanish young girl talking a perfect Spanish with a typical accent from that area of Spain and that was the beginning of the idea. I used the tradition of the chines tales to get closer to that community and at the same time to offer a wider perspective about identity to our Spanish society.
In Spanish the expression “chines tales” means “lies”, so I wanted to play with that meaning creating the contrast between the depth and richness of that culture and the simplistic prejudice that some people still have.