Isaac Julien’s latest work, Ten Thousand Waves (2010), received its world premiere in May at the Biennale of Sydney, and is now seen for the first time in Europe at Kunsthalle Helsinki. This grand, epic work explores the effects of globalisation in a poetic form. The multi-channel video projections and acclaimed films of the artist represent a combination of documentary film and art. Projected on nine screens, Ten Thousand Waves links the past and present, the beliefs and myths as well as the dreams and disappointments of China. What makes people leave everything behind to search for a better life in a far-off place? The main character, played by Maggie Cheung (In the Mood for Love), leads the viewers...
