Walking the Cabbage and other non-Olympic activities

To Manchester, where the first Asia Triennial, covering a wide swathe of new art activity from China to S. Asia via Singapore, was opened by UK Culture Secretary Andy Burnham. Making reference to last week's photo-shoot of himself and fellow minister Ed Balls on a children's swing he added that it would not be a bad thing if more cabinet ministers played on the swings, a sentiment no doubt shared by the organisers of last week's International Tree Climbing Day.

Next weekend the Asia Triennial is continuing the theme of unconventional alternative sporting activity when artist Han Bing will orchestrate 100 volunteers from all walks of life to walk the streets pulling an individual cabbage (Chinese of course). Bing sees his work, brought to Manchester by International 3, as 'exploring the struggles and desires of ordinary people in China's "theatre of modernization" '

Down the road, in Cornerhouse, in the exhibition by S.Asian women What Do You Want, Shaina Anand has created an intriguing multi-layered work based on conversations between a group of students introduced by the artist and CCTV operatives in their control centre: sample conversation 'It's just like 1984 in here' - 'Actually the equipment isn't quite that old'. In one projection a group of the participants friends on the outside invent a new sport with their mobiles - phone up and the cameras point at you.

Back in London on Sunday a new Olympic sport with China in mind has been invented - grab the Olympic torch and free Tibet...

Rob La Frenais, Curator