Xindanwei | 新单位 A new way of working | 一种新的工作方式

[lang_en]
xindanwei chitchat edition 20: WoiGreen

Time: 16:30-18:30pm Friday September, 3th
Cost:free
Host:Brian Wang
Brian Wang just want to share with you those latest, coolest Green innovation worldwide. Like ¨Coffee Printer¨, ¨Iceberg Hotel in Dubai¨, how to “Plant” a house in the forest or how to generate electricity with Hot Air Balloon……
If you feel green can be fashionable, that’s what he wants to say. More important, if you are “Green Fans”, you may have more green ideas, let’s share them and do something together

About WoiGreen

Global Intelligence Local Practice
Founded on June 6th, 2009.

Being the unique green media /network in China, WoiGreen try interesting way, aim to share global fresh green ideas with professionals、eco-conscious community and general public, encourage people to enjoy eco lifestyle, create green trend and promote eco movement.WOIGREEN is creative, open-mind and initiative, keep distinguished reputation among fashionista, designer, industry leader, university student, eco-conscious community and International brands.With unique positioning and impact, WoiGreen has been invited to be the only Chinese speaker to give speech at ¨Green Businuss¨section on ¨The Career Day 2010¨ of ¨The Johns Hopkins University-Nan Jing University Center¨. The Organizer of “Green Now International Forum”, a Creative&Practical high end Forum which focus on Green Solution.

Feel free to visit us at: www.woigreen.com

Brian Wang
Founder and Chief Planner at WoiGreen. With thorough understanding and rich experience in Marketing and Media Communication, has ever been Marketing Director of International Company; Also involved in Newspaper/Magazine/Radio/TV and Website, all types of Media. Ever been Senior Editor at top end fashion&culture magazine¨VISION¨. Has been studied abroad and worked in Spain from 2005 to 2008,got Master in Business Management and Marketing, has been ¨People in the News¨, been interviewed and covered by the most famous Spanish financial newspaper ¨Expansion¨. Came back to Shanghai in 2009,founded WoiGreen with partners on June 6th, 2009. Being the unique green media /network in China, WoiGreen try interesting way, aim to share global fresh green ideas, encourage people to enjoy eco lifestyle, create green trend and promote eco movement.

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第二十期:WoiGreen

时间: 9月3日（周五）16:30—18:30
费用: 免费
主持人:王翔

王翔想和各位分享全球最好玩最时尚的绿色创新，你将会看到咖啡打印机，迪拜的冰山酒店，如何在森林里的“种”房子以及用热气球发电…… 如果你也觉得绿色是一种时尚，这就是他想要说的。
更重要的是，如果你同样是绿色粉丝，或许你有更好的主意，我们可以一起来做点什么……
好吧，新单位，不见不散

关于绿色风尚

全球智慧 本土实践

2009年6月6日正式诞生，作为独树一帜的绿色传媒，我们尝试以轻松有趣的方式，与更多人分享全球新鲜绿色理念、绿色创意，感受绿色生活，创造绿色时尚。绿色风尚的内容，涉及绿色生活的各个领域，分布在亮车、宜居、酷玩、行游、身边、窗外等版块，风尚志和绿色风尚标是我们的标志性栏目，主要报道全球最新或具有重大意义的绿色创新、绿色科技或标志性事件，风尚堂则主要侧重于推介、报道绿色先锋人物、品牌和机构。作为具有全球眼光、开放创新的绿色传媒，我们吸引了国内外的关注，在高端时尚人群、商务人士、业界领袖、环保精英及大学生中具有广泛的影响。我们长期占据谷歌中文搜索和百度搜索第一的位置，在2010美国霍普金斯-南京大学中美中心的职业发展年会上，绿色风尚作为唯一受邀参加其“绿色经济”论坛的华裔演讲嘉宾参与全程研讨，广受欢迎。

除了媒体本身的影响力外，我们也举办不同层次的绿色活动。其中创新务实、以关注绿色解决方案为主旨的“筑绿国际论坛”已成功举办两届，引起业界广泛关注，并正在向国外拓展……

王翔 先生
——资深媒体人 “绿色风尚”(WoiGreen) 创始人兼总策划
中国第一代电台直播节目主持人；中国首批屈指可数的网络记者；
国内少数能拍能写，并曾涉足电视 /广播/ 报纸/杂志 和网络等几乎所有媒体形式的全能型记者； 
曾担任跨国公司大中华区市场总监。 
2005-2008年赴西班牙留学， 获 工商管理和市场行销 硕士学位， 期间帮助多家跨国公司实施国际化战略，并作为新闻人物和中国留学生代表 ，接受西班牙最大财经报系《EXPANSION》专访……
2009年 归国与国际传播专家、资深互联网精英共同创办“绿色风尚”。
[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

ekstasis

aaajiao

mulai

dgjmartin

tifa

betty

sandy_pen

Moonlight

crazywwy

chenxu

(in total 10).

[lang_en]
xindanwei chitchat edition 19: recycle-x project

Time: 18:00-20:00pm Friday August, 27th
Cost:free
Host:Jingni Wang
In recycle-x project, five artists from Brazil, China, Spain, Netherlands and Croatia came to a old city called Dordrecht in Netherlands create art work there. What they specification is sustainable of society and soft technology, and share art with local community.

As one of the artist, what I want to share in this presentation is three project recycle-x did already:

Plantas Parlantes—-A installation that make plants “talking and screaming” to people who touch it.
Achterstraat—-We use conductive fabric and thread create a local map with local handy women. People were brought together by making map and sharing stories.
Looking for people who live in a sustainable way—- A seven days’ research to find people who live in a sustainable way in Dordrecht and make a diary and street intervention of it.

I will make the presentation focusing on the process of art project, that’s say ” what was happening”. I really want to share the process of mind work, process of technique realization and the experiences of sharing art with local people. I will take some recycled container and plant seed, we will plant it together after presentation.

Welcome media artist, art students and people who are interested in the connection of art and social sustainability.

WHO I AM?
My name is Jingni Wang, 24 years old, from Fujian.
I studied new media art in China Academy of Art since 2006. When I was in school, it was more studio work rather than “going out”. In 2008, I went to America and work as a art teacher in summer camp, it became my first time experiences of “share art with people”. And after graduating from school, I involved in establishing of a community art organization. Therefore, I got chances to “play art” with immigrants in Shanghai. In 2010, I started my residency in Dordrecht, Netherlands, collaborated with artists from different background. We lived in a community, create work with local people.
Every time, those kind of sharing art experiences is like “self-education” for me. It brings me happiness, love, knowledge, culture understanding, and even wise of life.They are like surprises out of art theory system. And that’s what I want to share with you this time.
I am young, more into composing rather than theory, so, this presentation will be more visualized, could be like a story telling.

my blog: http://blog.sina.com.cn/niniwhatever

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第十九期:recycle-x项目

时间: 8月27日（周五）18:00—20:00
费用: 免费
主持人:王静妮

荷兰的recycle-x项目里,五个分别来自巴西,中国,西班牙,荷兰和克罗地亚的艺术家一起来到荷兰的古城dordrecht,用半年的时间居住和工作在这里.他们特别关心的是可持续发展和柔软的科技和艺术,以及和社区居民一起创作.

作为其中之一的艺术家,这次简述主要想和大家分享的是cycle-x做过的三个小项目:

Plantas parlantes 会说话的植物
我们用电子材料和植物作为媒介来做了一个让植物说话装置,你对植物的触摸,都会引起它们的发声,围绕这个装置,我们做了一系列的对民众的工作坊.除此之外,还将带大家看一个比利时的艺术农场.

Achterstraat 后街:
我们和当地的手工者妇女们一起用导电面料和织线制作的当地地图,通过这个项目,周围的人们被自然而然地带到了一起,讲述他们的故事,一起协作和动手.

Looking for people live in sustainable way 寻找过着环保型生活的人
我们用一周的时间,在当地寻找,过着环保型生活的人,调查从生态农庄开始,经历了transition-town(过渡性村庄),无金钱的物物交换商店,Hipi嬉皮村庄,以水作为日记的艺术家,生态建筑师,以及反对有机农业的人,之类等等.在调研结束后,我们制作了一本生态人物的日记以及当地的环保”人脉图”.

我会把重点放在项目的”过程”,也就是”经历了什么?” 很想和大家分享的是在创作时候的思维发展的过程, 技术的实现过程, 以及艺术家和社区合作对作品的影响.然后我还会带一些种子和小容器,大家可以一起来播种了小葱带回家~希望一个月后,大家的家里都有没有打过农药的,没有加过化肥的小葱吃.

特别欢迎, 媒介艺术家, 艺术专业的学生, 和对生态\科技与艺术的结合感兴趣的人.

我是谁?
我叫王静妮,今年24岁,是福建人.
本科的时候,在杭州的中国美术学院学习新媒体艺术.本科时候,很多时候都是比较个人的创作,大二暑假,在美国的女子夏令营做过辅导员,那个时候是第一次走出工作室去和人们一起分享艺术.毕业以后,在上海参加了社区艺术机构禾邻社的建立,于是开始有机会和上海流动人口社区里的人们一起玩”艺术”.再之后,进入了荷兰re-x项目,和不同的艺术家,技术人员一起合作,当然还有和社区里的人们一起创作.每次这样的经历,都感觉是一次”自我的教育和成长”.这样的教育,对我而言,很像是”艺术话语体系”外的”惊喜”,是一种受益终身的人生的教育.
我还比较年轻,并且是一个做创作的人,对学术和理论不懂,所以,这个陈述会比较视觉化,会像是…..讲生活的故事吧.

我的博客是: http://blog.sina.com.cn/niniwhatever

[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

caomaodou

pbodq

ekstasis

linggu

Annika

bdit

liuyan

aaajiao

angelia2041

rssa

Jessicafish

chenxu

(in total 12).

[lang_en]
xindanwei chitchat edition 18: Tri
(A NEW SPORT, ARRIVES IN CHINA)

Time: 18:30-20:30pm Friday August, 20th
Cost:free
Host:Jeremiah Schwarz – Designer and C.E.O. of The TRI Federation & MAL (TRI Goods)

For the past 4 years, a new sport has been designed and developed by the TRI Federation. Once conceptual, this soon to be registered non-profit organization, is the governing body for the game TRI. A 3 team, contact sport similar to rugby and basketball, introducing many unique features and breaking cultural and business barriers in the world of sports. The Squib Ball, an oblong shaped ball that changes direction instantly is the corner stone of the game, challenging athletes to master their handling and team work. Now, the first 5 teams in Shanghai are underway in Season II and start-ups in 5 other cities around the world.

What needs are being addressed?

TRI is a communication platform utilizing creativity and collaboration. The purpose of the sport and the design of the game is meant to introduce new concepts that athletes and fans can build and appreciate together. The universal lack of experience will set a level of equality and humility, limiting racial, national or religious domination of the sport and its unique interests. TRI is a great way to get involved in sports and join this exciting community of athletes from all over the world.

The game has no intentions of replacing any sports, it is only an alternative to the way we currently perceive sports. If the world cannot come together to build a sport, something fun, then how can we ever solve more threatening situations, today’s reality holds for the future?

What resources or “ingredients” are needed to successfully implement this initiative?

We encourge global participation and inspiration to build this sport everywhere at the same time. In order to play TRI in your part of the world the necessary ingredients include:

1.a Squib-ball
2. 3 skinny vertical goals
3. a grass field
4. lots of cones to create your donut shaped field
5. 3 ropes to divide the 3 territories
6. at least 15 players and 1 referee
7. 3 different color shirts for the teams to wear.

Incase players want to create more official looking uniforms TRI players have letters for identification instead of numbers, which should be custom made locally.
We can send online start up brochures that will instruct you on the process and past experiences for start-ups.

Media reports:

Shanghai Daily :

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/print.asp?id=397428

Urbantomy:

http://www.urbanatomy.com/index.php/sports/amateur/1510-sod-it-im-making-my-own-sport-tri

City Weekend:

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/articles/blogs-shanghai/shanghai-sports/shanghai-needs-a-new-sport-and-now-its-got-one-tri/

Global Times:

http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/features/metroshanghai/community/2010-06/537446_2.html

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第十八期:爆竹球-一项来到中国的新运动

时间: 8月20日（周五）18:30—20:30
费用: 免费

主持人:Jeremiah Schwarz (美国沙凡娜艺术大学工业设计学,PEGA 公司资深设计师)

TRI原是一年轻美国纽约市运动员及设计师Jeremiah Schwarz在他就读于美国沙凡娜艺术大学工业设计学的毕业论文主题。而毕业后，他透过他一生投入与美式足球（American Football），英式橄榄球(Rugby), 篮球（Basketball）,足球（soccer/English football）等主流球类运动的训练与观察，以及跟校友们组织起来的几次小型TRI运动测试赛，他前后花了整整5年的时间研发出来创新球类运动。
     Schwarz 先生目前就职于华硕电脑公司属下PEGA 设计公司，为该企业唯一的一位外籍资深设计师。TRI上海球盟合作者为美籍前EF英语外教Charles Wilcott 及比利时华侨-外贸公司主管 邹宏平，法籍设计师Marc Rambaud.
该专用球及运动专利已目前正在申请国际专利，一旦注册将名列为世界运动史上第41种球类运动。

简单介绍

TRI在拉丁文里表示“三”，在我们的整个设计是围绕“三”来展开的，它是我们整个设计的核心理念——三支队伍同时竞争，比赛过程分为三场，每一场为三十分钟，运动比赛场地分为三大块，以及分为三个部门的联盟。

TRI的比赛规则具有多样性。TRI比赛由三个队伍在一个甜甜圈形状的比赛场地上进行。三组队伍同时争夺一个爆竹球—一个具有独一无二设计的球。在TRI比赛中结合了许多来自其它的比赛的元素，尤为显著的是篮球和橄榄球。运动员们可以传球、踢球、带球跑等等。整个比赛对战略和团队合作提出了很高的要求。

TRI的比赛场地城一个甜甜圈形状，由两条分界线把场地分为了3个部分，每个队伍占据场地的一部分。在三个阶段的比赛时间中，三个队伍轮流使用场地的三个部分（能否给三部分一个名字，比如比赛领地）。

整个比赛有三个球门，三条分界线把场地分成了3个部分，同时，通过两条额外的分界线，分割成了类似甜甜圈形状的场地。
TRI运动比赛旨在改变人们对运动的思考。我们希望在当今的经济形式下，通过TRI这项运动，聚集来自全球各地不同背景和文化的运动员， 促进文化交流，培养团队合作意识与能力。

TRI运动可以帮助年轻人更深刻的理解运动的涵义，同时，让年轻人们更健康，更充满活力。

TRI为年轻人提供了一个很好的平台，帮助年轻人培养的创新意识与能力（how），让他们更了解自己的所处的环境， 同时对自己所具备的能力做一个正确的评价。

更重要的是，TRI运动在由于文化与年代造成的差异间，建立了一座沟通的桥梁。对于年轻人来说，具备一定的竞争意识以及运动员精神是极为重要的。

TRI运动可以帮助年轻人提升解决新挑战、新困难的能力，让年轻人更独立的成长。
我们鼓励人们和我们一起创造一全新的运动文化，一起把TRI在向关大社会群众推广！

媒体报道

Shanghai Daily报道:

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/print.asp?id=397428

著名英文娱乐网站Urbantomy报道:

http://www.urbanatomy.com/index.php/sports/amateur/1510-sod-it-im-making-my-own-sport-tri

City Weekend报道:

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/articles/blogs-shanghai/shanghai-sports/shanghai-needs-a-new-sport-and-now-its-got-one-tri/

环球时报英文版:

http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/features/metroshanghai/community/2010-06/537446_2.html

[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

Elsie

parisyxc

vnsavitri

aaajiao

(in total 4).

[lang_en]
xindanwei chitchat edition 13: BEAN -the largest volunteer organization in Shanghai
Time: 18:30-20:30pm Friday July, 23th

Cost:free

BEAN – Shanghai, the winner of the 2009 and 2010 Best Charity award for Shanghai, hosts community outreach events every weekend and several weekdays a month.  With over 1,800 members, BEAN is the largest volunteer organization in Shanghai. BEAN helps connect people with ways to contribute to the local community through long-term projects and one-off events that support both its own endeavors and other area charities.  The philosophy of the organization is that everyone should have the opportunity to give back, regardless of language ability, time commitment, or skill set.

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第13期:BEAN-上海最大的志愿者性质慈善组织

时间: 7月23日（周五）18:30—20:30
费用: 免费

BEAN于2009年和2010年连续两年赢得了”上海最佳慈善组织”称号。BEAN现有会员1800多名，是上海最大的志愿者性质的慈善组织。BEAN积极与社区合作，利用每个周末以及部分工作日的时间，组织形式多样的活动，联系、鼓励来自各行各业的志愿者们为 社区的发展献上一份力。我们看到，这些活动的开展对于当地社区和慈善组织都是一种强有力的支持。我们的理念是，无论一个人能力大小， 可供支配的时间多少，也不管是否有语言交流上的障碍，每个人都应该有机会回馈社会。BEAN致力于创造，提供这样的机会。

[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

elesylhy

chenxu

skykid

olivia191

Annika

honeymonkey

bpoltera

majestic

Elsie

Ivy

Cozi

bing

xfyin

smallwanzi

Eva

raymond_p

Juni

Bobby163

maggiefly07

yvounne

Moonlight

tacitus

(in total 22).

[lang_en]

xindanwei chitchat edition 14: WABC
Time: 18:00-20:00pm Friday July, 16th
Cost:free
Host:MiaoShiming

WABC: Worker ArtBrut Culture
For more information check http://www.wabc.net.cn

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第14期:当代精残人士艺术教育救助计划

时间: 7月16日（周五）18:00—20:00
费用: 免费
策展人:苗世明，MiaoShiming

这是一个以工人群体为对象的艺术教育计划，旨在通过对一些下岗工人和残疾人的艺术培训，使之对当代艺术有所认知，并发掘其可能的艺术创造 力。另外伴随这一过程中所产生的各种问题，对艺术家、艺术创作、艺术品和艺术市场的内涵和固有关系进行反思和质疑。以一种最朴素的方式重新面对艺术创作最 本质的层面。如果说非艺术圈的文化边缘群体自发的艺术创作从本质上说属于所谓的“原生艺术”范畴，那么，对社会阶层带有引导性的艺术启蒙(而非系统专业的 学习)所引发的艺术创作具有怎样的意义？在这个草根和素人可以一夜成名的新媒介主导的时代，有太多的现实可能性。“WABC”计划也许只是提供一个不成熟 的案例和草图。
该项目又名“WABC”计划，其中“W”指代工人(Worker)；“ABC”除了其通常代表的初始教育、启蒙的含义外，还有更具 体的一层意思：A和B是“原生艺术”(ArtBrut)的缩写；“C”是英文culture的缩写，除了其普遍的文化含义，在这里主要是指其本初的培育和教养的意思。
我们希望 “WABC计划”是一个可持续发展的计划，通过团队的努力和社会的支持，使自愿加入这一项目的下岗工人和残障人士具有某种程度的当代艺术鉴赏和创作能力， 从而参与到当代艺术的文化活动中来，为社会和个人创造可能的价值财富，具有文化和现实的双重意义。

策划人苗世明简介：

1980年生，2003年毕业于中央美术学院。制作装置作品、雕塑和油画创作，关注实验性艺术也尝试实验性创作。2009 年策划2009首届北京798双年展下岗工人艺术教育计划／wabc计划。http://www.wabc.net.cn

[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

aaajiao

KKGD

michelfan

linggu

jackieyao

getong

Milly

(in total 7).

[lang_en]
xindanwei chitchat edition 9: From Marilyn to Mao-the formation of contemporary transnational art

Time: 4:30-6:30pm Friday June, 11th

Cost:free

Host:Isaac Leung

Abstract
In “The Invention of Art: A Cultural History”, philosopher Larry Shiner explains that the ‘invention’ of ‘fine art’ was connected to the rise of the art market. In his book he separates the cultural history of art into two periods: the patronage period and the art market period. The emergence of the art market in the U.S. and Europe during the 70s and 80s was shaped by regime changes in capitalism and the rise of cultural industries. In recent years, the commoditization of art has entered a “global” age, new art markets emerge in which international artists, curators, museums and biennales become global players in the field of “international contemporary art”. The Western art centers such as New York and London have been decentralized and face diversification from various up- and-coming art markets around the globe. This phenomenon has been further intensified by the emergence of the contemporary Chinese art market as a major force in the global cultural economy. By choosing contemporary Chinese art as the focus of study, my research will examine the formation of the contemporary art market under the increasingly interconnected and integrated notion of the global and the local cultural economy. The emerging art clusters in Beijing and Shanghai will be studied with an eye towards the interdependency of production, consumption and distribution of art within these culturally hybridized networks. By reconsidering the earlier studies of cultural globalization, different constituencies within the interconnected localities of the contemporary Chinese art market will be examined in the context of transnational communication, the flow of art programs and the global circulation and consumption of artistic products.

Isaac Leung

Leung is a practicing artist, curator and researcher who received a Honorary Fellowship of Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the New Media Art Department of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. His passion in exploring issues concerning contemporary art began during his time in college. During 1998-2008, his artworks were exhibited in over 30 venues across the globe. His projects were featured on National Public Radio (USA), and in Agence France-Presse (France), Chicago Tribune (USA), NY Arts Magazine (USA), Chicago Readers (USA) and The South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).

In 2002, Leung was appointed as the Program Director of the media art organization Videotage. During the past years, he has initiated and participated in projects that included exhibitions, workshops, lectures, publications, online projects and symposia such as, 40 Years of Video Art in Germany and Hong Kong, (Hong Kong and Germany), Boderline Film Festival (Beijing), Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition (Venice, Hong Kong), Perpetual Art Machine (New York), “97+10: HK Hand Baggage” (Shanghai), ISEA Festival (San Jose), Microwave International Media Art Festival (Hong Kong).    Apart from the video documentary that was awarded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, his current interdisciplinary project “Sex Machines” is being actualized as a Mphil academic thesis at the Lingnan University. Throughout the years, he has been invited to speak at different conferences such as, Arse Elektronika (San Francisco), Microwave International Media Arts Festival (Hong Kong), Hong Kong / Hollywood at the Borders: Alternative Perspectives, Alternative Cinemas (Hong Kong), etc. He’s currently a PhD researcher at the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong.

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第9期: 从玛丽莲梦露到毛泽东-探索当代艺术市场的形成，和渐趋频繁的本土和全球经济文化融合下的相互关系

时间:6月11日（周五）16:30—18:30
费用: 免费
主持：Isaac Leung
摘要

哲学家 Larry Shiner在《The Invention of Art: A Cultural History》中解释，「艺术」的「发明」往往与艺术市场的兴 起有关。他在书中把艺术的文化历史分为二个时期﹕艺术赞助时期以及艺术市场时期。在上世纪70至80年代，资本主义制度的 改变与文化产业的兴起，导致欧美艺术市场的出现及定型。及至近年，艺术商品化进入了一个全球化的纪元，当国际艺术家、策展人、博 物馆与双年展皆成为「当代国际艺术」的全球参与者，新的艺术市场型式便出现了。面对全球四方八面的新兴艺术市场，使西方艺术中心如纽 约及伦敦变得分散和多样化。中国当代艺术市场崛起，成为全球文化经济一大主力，让这现象更加剧了。以当代中国艺术为研究重点，本 研究旨在探讨在全球与本土的文化经济日渐紧密连系及愈发综合之时，当代艺术市场形成的成因。着眼点首先会放在北京及上海涌现的艺术 簇，研究它们在文化混杂的网络中，在艺术生产、艺术消费以及艺术分锁三方面的独立性。然后，透过重新钻研有关于文化全球化 （cultural globalization）的学术研究，将以跨国沟通的背景、艺 术节目的流程与艺术产物的全球性的流动与消费，来探讨中国当代艺术市场内环环相扣的构成因素。

梁学彬介绍:

梁是一名艺术家，策展人及研究学者，获颁芝加哥艺术学院及中央圣马汀艺术设计学院的新媒体艺术系美术学 位荣誉院士。他在大学培养出探索当代艺术的热忱，1998年至2008年间，他的作品见于逾30多个世界各地的场馆。他的作品亦曾见于全国公共广播电台（美国）， 法新社（法国），芝加哥论坛报（美国），纽约艺术杂志（美国） ，芝加哥读者（美国）及南华早报（香港）。

2002年，梁氏被委任为媒体艺术机构“录映太奇”的节目总监。在任其间，他曾发起并参与多个计划项目，包括展览，工作 坊，讲座，出版物，网络项目及专题讨论会，如40录像艺术在德国和香港年香港（香港和德国），边缘电影节（北京），威尼斯双年展国际建筑展（威 尼斯，香港），永久的艺术机（纽约），“97 + 10 ：香港手提行李“（上海），ISEA节（圣何塞），微波国际媒体艺术节（香港）。除了获香港艺术发展 局资助嘉许的纪录片外，他刚在岭南大学完成其关于”性机器“的哲学硕士生论文。过去多年，他曾被邀在多个国际会议演讲，例如众相处，电子学（三藩市），微波国际媒体艺术节（香 港），香港/在边界好莱坞：另类视角，另类电影院（香港）等。梁 氏目前是香港城市大学创意媒体学院的博士研究生。

[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

isaacleung

parisyxc

yourjj

stewieliv

sylviawhite

Cozi

chenxu

liuyan

(in total 8).

[lang_en]
Xindanwei Chitchat edition 8: Wokai’s talk

Time: 16:30 – 18:30 June 4, 2010

Microfinance is the business of making very small (“micro”-sized) loans to very poor people who would otherwise have no access to capital, so that they can start their own small businesses. These borrowers, or entrepreneurs, repay the loan with interest over the course of 6-12 months. Muhammed Yunus pioneered microfinance in the 1980s, with a focus on Bangladesh and India, for which he was eventually awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. The beauty of microfinance is that it is not only socially viable but also commercially viable because it helps poor people to help themselves, creates new jobs, and achieves sustainability.

Despite having spread to most developing countries (in Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa), microfinance is a very nascent industry in China. The Chinese government did not allow microfinance institutions (“MFIs”) to charge higher interest on loans than those of local Chinese banks. However microfinance is not simply lending people money, but also includes travelling to the most rural areas of China to access borrowers, teaching them how to start and run small businesses, and tracking their progress regularly – all expensive work. Therefore in order for microfinance to be sustainable, it needs to charge higher interest rates. Still, it remains cheaper than the alternatives (loan sharks) and, more importantly, Chinese banks do not provide any loans to poor people as it is not profitable and their models are based on collateral. In any case, MFIs would not survive in China with their interest rates capped.

As the Olympics drew closer, local Chinese banks began closing down rural branches and moving towards cities. This made it even more difficult for rural Chinese to access capital, a growing problem which the government needed to address, so in 2004 the government lifted interest rate restrictions and allowed MFIs to charge up to four times the interest rates of local banks. Thus 2004 was the year that international microfinance entered China. Today, local banks charge 4-5% interest on their loans; now MFIs can charge 16-20% interest.

In the spring of 2007, Courtney and Casey started Wokai, which means “I Start” in Chinese and conveys our mission to help people start new lives by founding their own businesses. By signing up on our website (www.wokai.org), one can view specific borrower profiles entailing a picture, the borrower’s dollar requirement and for what purpose, and more, and then choose which borrower to help. Wokai fills a niche in Chinese microfinance because it is the first international person-to-person microfinance organisation that connects individual philanthropists around the globe directly with specific micro-entrepreneurs that they choose to fund in China, via our website.    Wokai meets the growing demand for micro-loans by providing MFIs with the capital needed to make loans.

Still there remains the issue that one cannot repatriate cash and therefore the loan cannot be taken out of China. So instead of relying on loans, Wokai relies on donations. After the borrower repays the loan, the money is not returned to the contributor, instead the contributor chooses another borrower from the website to whom the loan should help next. The loan is recycled out and so each donation goes much further than the average proposal.

Wokai has grown to include 9 chapters in San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Boston, and Toronto; 200 interns, volunteers and advisors; 11 corporate sponsors and 2 NGO field partners in Inner Mongolia and Sichuan. With the help of these supporters, Wokai is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation in the US with a Representative Office in China, and currently in the process of being registered as a non-profit in Hong Kong. It has raised USD153,000 online from 1,000 contributors since launching, and has enabled 300 recipients in rural China to start small businesses. Wokai is now a ‘movement’ of sorts helping to raise awareness of entrepreneurial solutions to poverty amongst American students, as well as solving poverty itself. Wokai has also become a media darling, having been featured in TIME, the San Francisco Chronicle, Newsweek, China Daily, CCTV News, and Phoenix, and CEO Casey was interviewed in November by Bloomberg Asia’s Bernie Lo, TVB Channel and South China Morning Post in Hong Kong.

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第8期:Wokai.org

时间: 6月4日 16:30 – 18:30

费用:免费

小额贷款是一种将非常小额度的贷款聚集起来借贷给贫困人口的一种商业模型. 贫困人口往往有很大困难筹集资金,而资金是决定他们能否建立自己的小型商业, 脱贫致富的关键. 这些借贷者,或企业家,在借款后的6到12月还清本金和利息. Muhammed Yunus 在80年代率先在孟加拉国和印度推出了小额贷款, 并于2006年 以此获得诺贝尔奖. 小额贷款的魅力在于它不仅仅是一个社会学的美好蓝图. 它 是一个从商业学角度完全可行的做法,因为它帮助穷人帮助自己, 创造就业, 实现 经济长期发展.

小额贷款在南非,南美,和非洲等发展中国家都已迅速传播开来. 它在中国却还是 一个萌芽中的产业. 目前,中国政府还不允许小额借贷机构收取高于本地商业银 行的利率.但是小额贷款的成本却远远高于本地商业银行. 除了提供贷款, 小额借 贷机构常常要到中国最偏僻的地区访问借贷者, 教他们如何创办自己的小型商业, 以及规划还清贷款. 也就是说, 小型借贷机构要生存,就必须收取更高的利率. 即 使这样, 小额贷款远比起本地的高利贷机构便宜. 更加重要的是, 国家批准的本地 商业银行以借贷担保为商业模型. 由于小型贷款风险更高,回报更低, 它们目前并 不向穷人提供小型贷款的服务. 总体来讲,小型借贷机构要在中国发展,就一定要 有更为灵活的利率体系来支持.

为了筹备奥运会, 中国的本地银行都纷纷将网点转向城市. 这给中国农村人口贷 款进一步增加了难度.在2004年, 中国政府取消了对小额贷款机构的限制, 并允许 它们收取相当于本地商业银行四倍的利息. 即此, 国际小额借贷于2004年正式进 入在中国。今天, 本地商业银行收取百分之4到5的利率,也就是说,小额借贷机构 可收取百分之16到20的利率。

2007年春天,Courtney 和 Casey 创办了”我开”,象征着鼓励借贷者开创 自己的小商业和新生活的美好寓意.只需在”我开”(www.wokai.org)上注册一个账户,每个人都可看到借贷者的照片,家庭情况,申请款项的额度,用途, 并选择想要帮助的对象.”我开”在中国的小型借贷领域扮演着独特的角色, 因为它是第一个让全世界资助者们直接”面对面”看到中国小额贷款申请人真 实生活情况的平台.”我开”把世界资助者们捐助的资产转为小型贷款,送到 中国农民的身边.

现今投资无法从中国转回境外的问题依然存在.因此,”我开”以捐款而非借 款的形式运行.当借款人还清借款后,款项并不回到资助者手中.资助者通 过”我开”网络选择下一位资助人.借款以这种方式依次循环.因此,每项捐 款的实际影响力都大大超过了捐款的面值.

“我开”已经成长为拥有旧金山,西雅图,纽约,北京,香港,上海,洛杉 矶,波士顿,多伦多九个分部,200名志愿者”我开”,11个商业资助集团,及 2个合作伙伴NGO在内蒙古和四川的大家庭.在这些支持下,已经在美国成功 注册为501(c)(3)非盈利组织,并已开始在香港申请注册。成立以 来,“我开”已经通过网路平台融资超过15万美金,并帮助超过 300 名中国 农民建立了自己的小型商业。”我开”已经成为美国学生讨论如何运用企业家 精神解决贫困问题的热门话题。“我开”也渐渐成为媒体关注的焦点,先后被 时代周刊,旧金山日报,新闻周刊,及中国日报及 CCTV 新闻等媒体采访。 CEO Casey 今年11月接受香港媒体 TVB, 南华早报及 Bloomberg Asia 的采 访。

[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

aaajiao

sunny

olivia191

Devon

niuniuwing

halinjo

(in total 6).

[lang_en]
Xindanwei Chitchat edition 7: The Future of the Shanghai dialects

Time: 16:30 – 18:30, May 28, 2010

Cost:free

Host:Kellen Parker

The dialects of Wu are a big part of life for most native Shanghainese, used for day-to-day conversations with family and friends. But what does the future hold for the dialects? Is there value in preservation? What’s being done now to protect the language?  Sinoglot’s Kellen Parker hopes you’ll come join the discussion at Xindanwei on Friday the 28th at 4:30.  Come give your opinions and reflections on the language of 90 million people. The talk will be in English but feel free to participate in Chinese.

[/lang_en]

[lang_cn]
新单位茶话会第7期:上海话的未来

时间: 5月28日 16:30 – 18:30

费用:免费

主持者:Kellen Parker

吴语对大多说上海人来说占据了他们每日与家人, 朋友交流的很大一部分. 方言的未来怎样? 是否有保存的价值? 就保护方言来说,现在做了什么? 来自Sinoglot的Kellen Parker希望你5月28日下午4点半到新单位来参与讨论. 说出你对这个9千万人都在使用的语言怎么看. 讨论以英语的形式展开, 不过也可以使用中文参与其中.

[/lang_cn]

Registrered users for this event:

kellen

yourjj

sachielyuu

liuyan

escdotdot

honeymonkey

cass

cyljcylj

(in total 8).