The term primordialism which means constructed originality is vital in relating to idea of globalisation and the imagination. Imagination is deemed as a social practice in which one's future can be made possible. Primordialism which consist of ethnic, religious identification and original culture may changed due to globalisation. Globalisation can be loosely translated as ideas that came from the West. This is so as the West is constructed to be more advanced than the rest of the world. So to be advanced, we have to follow the West. As one become aware of the 'dangers' of being too globalised, we protect ourselves from globalisation by primordialism. In terms of art, the artist may choose to create works to defend his constructed identity.
Orientalism is the way the West looked at the east as self and the other. How is this linked to globalisation? As artist makes artworks that are primordial, are we actually agreeing to the Western's idea of us? The term constructed originality is problematic, as who constructs this identity? Is it the West?So, the act of defending oneself against globalization, it is actually a contradiction as one is actually conforming to the how we are perceived by the West. Global recognition is thought as a stamp that says that you are the best. At the same time, to be the best in the global arts market, we have to stay primordial.Looking back at Kai Lam's performance work. There is something about his work that shows a certain Asian-ness in it. Is it in the ritual-like performance that he does? In his performance, Anthology Blues, Kai was burning joss stick/incense and playing chant-like music on a modern instrument. What does this mean to him? It is related to his race and maybe a religious symbol to him. It could be a form of adapting his understanding of the traditional in his culture and appropriating it to his urban context. The understanding of how human condition change through time and at the same time how one takes, receive and change to suit themselves.
Playing the chant-like music and combining it with the sounds from his electric guitar, Kai was trying to put together his understanding of culture and Western instrument. Is his work primordial in one sense and neo-traditional in another aspect? I would think so, and would the act of combining culture and Western idea actually be more of a destruction rather than a route to globalization?
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