In 2016, while introducing himself at the School for Poetic Computation (SFPC) in New York, Guhong Min was struck by a solemn realization: a single person’s name can fracture into multiple forms depending on the system. In one country, his name becomes “Min Guhong”; in another, “Guhong Min.” The moment the order of family name and given name is reversed, a familiar name becomes unfamiliar.
“Guhong Min also known as Min Guhong” is not a device to restore names to their “correct” positions, but rather a mechanism that permits one to say, “That’s me,” no matter where the name appears. Some call him “Guhong,” some save him as “Min,” some ask again. Either way, he answers: “You can just call me ‘Michael.’”