Timeline-Unit3 6.15-8.31

Phase 1: In-depth Research and Concept Anchoring (June 15th – June 30th, approximately 2 weeks)

Reading section:

1. sociology/anthropology of the family: read core theories on family structure, functioning, intergenerational transmission, and changes in intimacy.
2. memory studies and oral history: read books/articles on memory construction, trauma transmission, oral history methodology.
3. Historical Dimension Deepening: Focus on a specific historical period/event (e.g. China’s Reform and Opening Up, urbanization process, history of a specific geographical area) in which you plan to embed. Read social and micro-historical works of the period, focusing on the details of ordinary people’s lives and the impact of policies on families (e.g., housing, education, population mobility).
4. Artistic references: Research examples of artists/exhibitions that utilize archives, fictional narratives, and family themes.

Preliminary “Family File” Collection:

1. Collect old photographs, letters, documents, objects, and important dates from your family. KEY: Record feelings, questions you had when you encountered these items.
2. Have an informal, open-ended chat with 1-2 family members centered around “What is the oldest object in the family?” “What was the single most important event in your family when you were a child?” etc.
3. Through reading and initial gathering, begin to think critically about how the definition of “normal” has changed in different historical and social contexts.

Phase 2: Fiction Building and Prototype Experimentation (July 1 – July 21, 3 weeks)

Construct an archive of “fictitious records”:

1. Identify core family members (2-3 generations) and assign names, rough dates, key relationships, and personality traits (modeled on real family members).
2. Create “documents” in a specific historical context (e.g., a fictional transfer notice, a description/sketch of a “family photo” from a specific era, an excerpt from a “diary”). A draft of “family rules”, a “medical record” or “report card”).
3. Ensure that the fictional files are closely related to the selected historical context (e.g., the content of the files reflects the specific impact of economic policies, social movements, and popular culture on family life at the time).
4. Continue to pay attention to the details of interactions with family members (speech patterns, habits, unresolved conflicts, expressions of love) that feed the emotional veracity of the fictional story.

Phase 3: Production and Preliminary Testing (July 22 – August 18, approximately 4 weeks)

Plan the narrative flow of the exhibition based on themes and archives (timeline? Thematic areas? Character perspective switches?) Identify Identify 3-5 core works.

Phase 4: Exhibition and Preview (August 19 – August 31, about 2 weeks)

Visitor observation: Observe visitors in person (at a distance) in the gallery during the exhibition (especially the first few days). Note: Which works do they stay in front of the longest? Is there interaction? Are there discussions (listen to what is being discussed)? What are their expressions?

Feedback collection: Set up a simple feedback book. Questions such as, “What moment in the exhibition made you think of your family?” “What would you most like to discuss with your family after seeing the exhibition?” “What do you think ‘ordinary family’ means?”