Sean Wai Keung on Andrea Luka Zimmerman's 'Here for Life'
Part of ONE WORK
Listen to this content
ONE WORK is a series of online discussion events to think more deeply about how an artwork came into being. Focusing closely on a single work, these generous discussions provide space for an artist to present a recent work and talk through the work’s creation. The events are accompanied by a month-long online screening and specially commissioned written response published on the LUX Scotland website.
Andrea Luka Zimmerman took part in a ONE WORK event with us in October 2021, presenting and discussing her and Adrian Jackson’s work Here for Life (2019).
We commissioned Sean Wai Keung to respond to Here for life and we are delighted to publish Sean’s response below.
Sean Wai Keung is a Glasgow-based poetry, performance and food maker. His work often uses food as a starting point for explorations of identity and migration. His first full length poetry collection, ‘sikfan glaschu’, was published by Verve Poetry Press in April 2021. You’ll find more details on Sean’s website.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — –
We tell each other’s stories
through the places we live /the rituals we follow /the languages we speak /the buildings we sleep in /the food we cook /the friends we make /the dreams we dream /the bikes we steal /the plants we grow /the prayers we pray /the films we make /the streets we walk
Cities are defined
by the connections between us /the communities we form /the histories we remember /the lands we claim /the dark areas between the lights /the opportunities offered /the rage and the pain and the joys encased in the bricks in the buildings /the givers and receivers /the criminals /the artists
We tell each other’s stories
in the communal gardens /on walks by the riverfront /in small cramped rooms in too-expensive houses /lying together in parks /through songs /on buses /in fish markets /at open-mics /sitting on repurposed cardboard and metal and plastic
Cities are defined
through media portrayals /in poems written and spoken not by poets /by our slang and tattoos and dialects and pets /through the jokes we tell /through our children and our parents /by the police and the authorities and the rich and the businesses /by the winners /the map-makers /the powerful
We tell each other’s stories
standing together /rehearsing together /loving together /moving together /protesting together /thieving together /touching together /eating together /dancing together /living together /howling together /performing together /building together /being together
Cities are defined
during the worst times /the famines /the gluts /the floods /the news-cycles /the happinesses /the summers /the bus routes /in prison cells /through the prices of the pints in the old man pubs /at the festivals /in the tourist traps /through the politics /the policies /the stereotypes /the essential workers
We tell each other’s stories
despite our differences /despite our failures /despite our unfamiliarities /despite the protests /despite the weather /despite our distances /despite our histories /despite ourselves /despite what we may or may not lack in language or money or sense /despite those who would prefer we stay silent
Cities are defined
By those who tell each other’s stories /those who carve out spaces for their peers /those who make us feel comfortable to speak our truths out into the world /those who support and laugh and cry with us during our most vulnerable of moments
We tell each other’s stories
and in doing so we define our cities /we leave remnants of ourselves for future people /we master our small universes and allow them to enrich us /we help each other to find our individual voices /we learn about ourselves /we remember those who came before /we hope for those who will come after /we redefine our cities /to fix for ourselves /a brighter /a better /tomorrow
Audio Version
Part of ONE WORK
ONE WORK is a series of online events that focus closely on a single work. These generous discussions provide an opportunity for an artist to present a recent work and talk through how the work came into being. Each work is available as a month-long online screening, followed by a specially commissioned written response that serves as documentation of both the work and the discussion.