Ping Chong :: Ping Chong & Company

If you could make a piece for the current White House, what would it be?

The first thing that comes to mind is Roberto Rossellini’s film, The Flowers of St. Francis.

I would do a work about St Francis – which is to say, a work about compassion and renouncing materialism. There are also some famous paintings by Giotto that address his spirit of compassion. I would take inspiration from these. Maybe I would use puppets.

What is the most important responsibility of an artist?

I don’t believe every artist should be an activist as an artist. Artists must do what they do best.

I think of the word ‘affirmative’ to describe what artists do. I, for one, do not have skills as an activist, but do make engaged work. I felt it was important to become engaged as an artist when Ronald Reagan came into office.

What is the most important responsibility of a citizen?

To call their leaders to task at all times and be vigilant and to effect change for the better. It’s still the people who can make that happen, but we have to make ourselves a large enough force. Still, in ways that can’t be registered on any meter, there are ways to make a difference, ways as simple as turning off the tap and not wasting water – simple quotidian things like as much as possible not supporting big corporate products.

What do you consider the most pressing social issue today?

The rise of fascism in this country, the threat to dissent which is such an important part of a free society. Fox News is a bad sign—it is totally propagandistic. It makes me wonder what kind of country we are going to have soon. The other pressing thing is the power of the corporation, the paradigm of modern government.

Where do you find hope today?

Seeing the photograph of the protest march on Sunday [August 29 in New York City, during the Republican National Convention]. No matter how down we might get about the world situation, I keep telling everyone that however we go about our business in the world now, it has to be affirmative. Negative energy is not productive. No matter what happens, even if it’s a hopeless situation, to act affirmatively is still the answer. I also feel people getting their goat up, having more of a fighting spirit, and that is good. But the enemy is big and in the end it still has to be about a spiritual change inside. In the mean time, we have to act in whatever way we see as responsible.

What's your advice for an aspiring young artist?

Be clear about what matters. Do you want to be an artist, or do you want to be selling a product or do you want fame? There are many temptations out there to draw you to money and for the current generation, it’s much harder to pay the rent than it was for us. But to be an artist. you have to stay true to what you care about and your vision. Period. I’d add: The world is not fair. Don’t expect it to be.

What question would you like to pose to other artists on this website?

Where do they think art is going these days? What is the big change that’s happening to art in general in the world?

Do you have an answer to your question?

I don’t know. As a theater artist, I feel like I don’t even know where or who the audience is.

Last night I went to see Prince. I’d never been to a stadium concert before. It was wonderful! Such a wild experience to be in that ritual communal jam of people jumping up and down.

Is that something you can imagine the theater inspiring?

[Laughter.]

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