Preview:
99 Agreements
Video & Sound Installation
Variable time
99 Agreements is a performance-based video and sound installation in which Zhang portrays 99 different female characters. Each character is engaged in different activities and situations, yet all repeat the word “Yes” continuously. Some speak it with pleasure while conversing with others, some mutter it nervously to themselves, and some express helplessness and pain.
People are often accustomed to stereotypical lifestyles, repetitive actions, and habitual language. Our responses to the outside world can be mindless. The word “Yes” not only signifies agreement but also conveys nuanced emotions and multiple meanings, emerging from an otherwise meaningless verbal habit. In daily communication, “Yes” is used casually and understood simply, yet its ambiguous implications are often overlooked. Behind this simple word might lie habitual compliance, submission to authority, or even absolute resistance.
In 99 Agreements, Zhang explores the significance of this spoken habit through scenes depicting the lives of 99 women. The work particularly examines the relationship between consent and female identity. The audience is invited to interpret the various scenes and their layered implications, especially as they relate to societal roles, career associations, and linguistic expression.