Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

I have collaborated many times and often these collaborations arrive at an appropriate time in my work. A time when an outside involvement/dynamic is essential to influence and move forward in my practice. Collaboration is stimulating and in turn challenges my own perceptions and intentions.

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

I have experienced very different types of collaborations with fellow artists; choreographers; poets; composers; dancers and the NHS. I consider the challenges to be appropriate for my practice as it allows me to reassess and research. It stretches me beyond my comfort zone. 

Here are some examples: 

• LUST LONGING LOVE by SUE WILLIAMS & MARILYN ALLEN  2021 

ISBN: 978-1-9160411-2-7 

• CONVERS[ISOL]ATION - a collaborative project between Sue Williams and Marilyn Allen, which responds to the experience of social isolation during COVID 19, 2020.  

• ‘Touch Me’ design collaboration with Fresh-West Design Ltd 

• CRACKED’ a multi-medium collaboration with National Dance Company Wales, Millennium Centre, Wales 

• ‘Phantoms of Us’ collaboration with choreographer Eleesha Young-Drennan 

• ‘IMBUE’ a collaboration with choreographer Eleesha Young-Drennan of National Dance Company Wales 

•  ‘SHH!’ a collaboration with choreographer Roy Campbell-Moore, dance performers Jem Treays and Chloe Loftus in response to Sue Williams’ work. 

• THROB – a multi – media collaboration with composer/poet/choreographer/dancers and NHS 

• SITE-ATIONS Project, Staten Island, New York 

• Drawing Programme. University Wales Institute, Cardiff. Wales 

• BODYWORKS funded by European funding CARTOON. 

• The Artists Project presents CLEAN SLATE and The European Artists Network Conference 

Ang Xia Yi

“Selamat Pagi!”

“Good Morning!”

Sue Williams

Initially I had not considered the difference in time zones as I was blindly enthusiastic with what we were planning to do. The issue of the time zone did have a small impact but until we start to visualise the full works, I am not sure it is detrimental to the way it materialises.

The ‘communication’ process we have created has been daily so there has been no consideration or concern to difference in time zones. We are working with Telegram where there is a greater flexibility in what we can do, upload, and play with. There are obvious periods throughout the ‘communication’ that one of us would be in our night, leaving the other to talk/communicate in isolation and anticipate an answer.

Obviously, I cannot talk for Xia Yi but it felt on one hand frustrating waiting for a reply, but equally enthusiastic as I had no idea what my text would evoke. I have had a distant relationship with someone in USA, so it brought home to me the feeling that you were functioning alone until the other person awoke. Yet it felt we were both connected in an extraordinary and sublime way.

Whilst waiting for the call, what typically happens? Do you get nervous and is there a set routine?

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

Yes! It is instinctive for me to work visually so I immediately responded in the folding book. I was placed in covid isolation for 10 days, so my flat became my temporary studio. This worked well, although limited access to materials. This limitation of materials did challenge me so the palette has been reduced and more reference to the drawing and text.

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

It is an interesting play between the real and the unreal that automatically feeds my work. I have spent years exploring such places online and researched this unusual placement for relationships to develop. I have no issues with relating to someone digitally and as within ‘real life’ I tend to respond by instinct.

With Xia Yi it was an immediate feeling of safety with a tinge of awkwardness as we probably both knew that we had to develop work at an intense speed …… the intensity of the work we decided to follow was instinctive and natural as the more I have gotten to know Xia Yi I felt this period of the project is only touching upon the potential.  I enjoy meeting new people and within lockdown I have had to continue my personal relationships online and manage students via teaching platforms, so this has been an easy transition from not knowing to developing an understanding which has been comfortable, productive, and very interesting.

Ang Xia Yi 

Sue Williams

I hope that on meeting me initially I had offered Xia Yi a sense of security within this platform. The complexities of our joint interest to communicate as women has allowed for an immediate place of safety for me so, I do hope this was the same for Xia Yi. Our personal dialogue has allowed us to establish an understanding and respect for each other, revealing continuous new layers to our newly found friendship. Maybe as women we have automatically wanted to feel safe so through our dialogue, we have broken boundaries, made ‘footsteps’ towards understanding each other to enable us to feel safe together.  

I had been initially conscious of the imaginable differences in cultural beliefs and age, but once we started our conversation, I felt very comfortable with the organic openness and honesty between us. There has been an openness between us that has been reassuring and this I hope is evident in the work and the potential for further possibilities.

Ang Xia Yi 

Sue Williams

At the beginning I felt concerned about the conversation as I did not know Xia Yi. I certainly did not wish to compromise her in any way. My work has always been direct and when I recognised in Xia Yi’s work, a more subtle quality. I thought initially we were the opposites in our political/gender position as we were from different generations.

This immersed me into several places where I realised my generation is answerable to many questions relating to the planet. I consider the authenticity and sincerity of our conversation is transparent as we had no knowledge of each other, and we took risks to find a pathway into each other’s lives. Our work is made up of highly sensitive material and information that only trust, and respect could allow to unfold in such a way.

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

I consider this project to be vital in this current climate and for several reasons. Maybe I am relating to the way Xia Yi and I have moved through the project with such personal journeys, offering us a greater opportunity to build bridges and open up to something new. I have been in isolation as a single person, and it has been incredibly difficult, so I embrace new connections. A relevant aspect of this project has been the difference of age/generation. We might be changing physically as we age, but our fears and concerns are no different.

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

PRIVACY:  noun……a state in which one is not observed or disturbed by other people. 

Coincidentally, this morning I listened to a part of ‘Hello Stranger’ by Will Buckingham on BBC 4. He explores the complex relationships with strangers.

I only listened to the initial 10 minutes, but already I am aware that our meeting with strangers in a virtual world is no different to the ‘old days of random meetings on your travels’ - it creates insecurity yet its learning to adapt to a new dimension. I think the trust in our collaboration had to be instant otherwise we would have been unable to be so open with each other. Our hospitality towards each other converts our fears and issues of privacy into something based upon generosity and trust.

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

The book making process has always proven to be a great opportunity for me to work fluidly with my autoethnographic practice – it allows no beginning and no end.  

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams

I am always looking to challenge my practice, not in order to change it, but to offer it new layers....... this experience has allowed me to hold a dialogue with another woman, to engage in conversations related to our different worlds and to expand globally. It has certainly enriched my practice and the very act of using text and social media directly within the work has and is very complementary and productive. There is room to extend this work as I think we have only just started.......

“If we shuffled a pack of our two lives, the storyline would be very similar”

Ang Xia Yi

Sue Williams