CinemaOSMovie · 2010 · 0h 12m

One Meter Democracy

Documentary

One Meter of Democracy (2010) challenged the endurance of viewers, as well as the courage of the artist. In a quasi-democratic process, He Yunchang invited approximately 20 friends to vote in a secret ballot on whether he should have a surgeon cut a one metre incision the length of his body, from collar bone to knee, without anaesthesia. The vote was carried by a narrow majority, with several abstaining. The performance was documented in video and photographs that reveal the emotional cost of witnessing this gruelling event. This work, sometimes also known as ‘Asking the Tiger for its Skin’ was also staged on a symbolic date: 10 October 2010 was the 99th anniversary of the Wuchang uprising and the Xinhai Revolution which led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China. The final image shows the group with sombre, shocked faces.

Directed byYunchang He

Play
Status
Released
Runtime
0h 12m
Language
EN
Released
October 10, 2010

Featuring

Cast & crew

2 credited
Starring
Yunchang He

Yunchang He

Himself

Zhang Hui

Surgeon

Creative team
Directed by
Yunchang He
Yunchang He

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