Friendship First, Competition Second

XIN Yunpeng
3 min. 20 sec.
Edition of 3
Video | B&W, sound
2020
5768

In 1970s table tennis broadcasts, close-ups of referees and spectators were often inserted. Matches were first filmed on celluloid and then transferred for television, but because each reel was short, pauses occurred when reels were changed. Editors filled these gaps with shots of eyes to maintain the flow of time. Xin Yunpeng revisits this device by filming his own eyes with a 100-foot 16mm reel—watching a game without winners or losers—and transferring it to video for endless playback. On screen, his eyes, like referees, preside over a contest suspended in continuity.