Preview:
LET'S CLAP !
Digital Video
Variable time
In Let’s Clap, Tianyi Zhang approached hundreds of passersby in Hunan, China. She introduced herself as an artist and explained that she needed to collect clapping videos for a project. Many people accepted her request, applauding in front of Zhang’s camera. She later edited together the various clapping gestures and sounds to create an installation that represents individual reactions to collective behavior.
Additionally, Zhang preserved the process of communicating with participants, capturing their responses as they were encouraged to keep clapping until the shot was complete. The fascinating dynamics of these interactions and the participants’ reflections are showcased in the accompanying video, Can You Clap for Me? I Am an Artist.
Through this project, Zhang examines how people respond when instructed to perform actions they are already accustomed to, while also exploring the effects of pedagogy and stereotyped thinking. Clapping, a simple habitual gesture, often creates a domino effect in group settings and carries specific meanings in certain contexts. However, in Zhang’s project, the gesture is stripped of its significance, becoming meaningless. Participants performed this familiar action with minimal motivation, responding only to Zhang’s instruction.