Cultural Translation and Post hoc Intellectual Conceit

Abstract

One of the recurring assumptions running through the literature on contemporary art is that there is a definitive correspondence between the theory and practice of deconstruction and aspects of traditional Chinese cultural thought and practice. This assumption persists not only in contexts outside the People’s Republic of China where deconstructivist postmodernism is institutionally dominant, but also inside the PRC within intellectual and artistic circles that have been influenced by postmodernist theory and practice. In this essay, I shall argue that while there are significant structural similarities between Jacques Derrida’s conceptualisation of differance (which provides the conceptual locus for deconstructivist theory and practice) and the dialectical ‘non-rationalism’ of traditional Chinese cultural thought and practice (as given visual expression by the taijitu 太极图, or yin-yang 阴阳 symbol), historically the latter has looked towards metaphysical states of harmonious reciprocation inimical to the former. I shall also argue that assertions of a definitive correspondence between the theory and practice of deconstruction and aspects of traditional Chinese cultural thought and practice overlook the deconstructive consequences of cultural translation which constantly problematise the location of meaning both culturally and historically.