Holdout

This work was presented in the Slade School of Fine Art 2024 interim show. The term Holdout (“钉子户” (dīngzihù) in China refers to residents who steadfastly refuse to vacate their homes to make way for property development, often standing as symbols of resistance. This concept served as the inspiration for my work, which emerged spontaneously in response to an abrupt decision by the school.

Just three weeks prior to the exhibition, we were informed that we needed to vacate our studios to make room for the show, despite having already settled into these spaces as our creative environments. This unexpected and disruptive demand left many of us feeling disregarded and disrespected.

As a form of protest, I deliberately chose not to vacate my studio. Instead, I incorporated this act of defiance into the artwork itself, presenting my workspace as it was—unfiltered and authentic. By doing so, Holdout reflects on the tensions between private and public spaces, notions of ownership, and the governing structures that dictate them.

该作品于2024年斯莱德艺术学院（Slade School of Fine Art）期中展展出。标题“Holdout”源自中文语境中的“钉子户”（dīngzihù），指在城市开发过程中拒绝搬迁、坚持留守原居所的住户，常被视为抵抗姿态的象征。这一概念构成了作品的起点，其生成直接回应学校一项突发决定。
展览前三周，学院通知我们需腾出各自的工作室以供展览使用，而这些空间早已成为我们稳定的创作现场。这一临时且具有干预性的要求，使许多人产生被忽视与被剥夺的感受。

作为回应，我选择不搬离工作室，而是将这一拒绝行为纳入作品结构之中，直接以未经修饰的真实工作现场作为展示内容。通过这一方式，《Holdout》围绕私人空间与公共空间之间的张力、所有权观念，以及对其进行规训与调度的制度结构展开讨论。