Granny‘s Lullaby (摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥) is a performance art installation created on the 15th anniversary of the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2023. This performance explores the profound impact of earthquakes, an irresistible natural disaster, on collective memory and individual perception, as well as the human resilience of the people who live in the region to transcend trauma.
As a experiencer, even when I am in a geographically unlikely place like New York, the slightest tremor, whether it be the vibration of a leg driving a table or the vibration of a subway passing by, can instantly rouse my alarm and trigger visions of an impending earthquake. Over the past fifteen years, countless earthquakes, large and small, have perpetuated and deepened the memories and emotions that people like me feel about such catastrophic events. We cannot change the outcome of the disaster, nor can we change our hometown; we have to continue to live on this land. People living in Sichuan have a saying about earthquakes:"In a minor earthquake, there's no need to run; in a major earthquake, you can't escape."The meaning of this sentence is that regardless of the earthquake's size, there's no need to be concerned because it's impossible for people to live in constant fear and worry.
Drawing from personal recollections of the earthquake's aftermath, including the unforgettable image of swaying chandeliers reminiscent of childhood swings, this study delves into the enduring resonance of seismic events. Through my recollections of the symbolism of the chandelier, childhood swings and vertigo during the earthquake, Grandma's Lullaby seeks to explore the intricate conflict between collective memory and self-perception, as well as the enduring resonance of people affirming each other's memories after a disaster transcends trauma and achieves rebirth.
