In this two part video series, artist Ma Li takes us behind the scenes of her installation and performance project Meet You at the Bird Bridge in the Milky Way at Recology San Francisco’s Artist in Residence program. Built entirely using trash that was scavenged by the artist at the San Francisco dump during her residency, the tangible dimensions to this project are a marvel of repurposed beauty, coming together to re-tell The Cow Herd and the Weaver Girl, an ancient Chinese folk tale of love, community, patience, and celebration. As agents of the birds, the volunteer performers are brought together by the dynamic Ma Li to form a bridge of whimsical movement that reunites loves of all kinds.

Part I includes an interview with the artist about the project and the materials involved, interwoven with footage of the performance rehearsal. Part II includes behind the scenes footage of the performance, after which the tangible materials in the work are examined closely by the curious camera. Following this (and not shown here), the second part of the total work unfolded at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, where Ma Li led another group of volunteers in a choreographed performance to assemble the installation – Gathering Among the Stars.

Part I: Interview with Ma Li

Part II: Peering in to the Performance and around the Installation