YUQI WANG | ARTIST WEBSITE
Exhibition Name: Eternal Horizon
Exhibition Period: 6th August 2023 - 1st September
Exhibition Address: Shanghai M50 4B101
None Project Gallery
EXHIBITION PREFACE
'Whoever fights with monsters should see to it that he does not become a monster in the process. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.'
- Friederich Wilhelm Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals
In modern astronomy, various hypotheses are proposed about the formation of the universe, but the ‘singularity’ theory that terminates all existing theories has always held sway. Such ‘terminators’ also extend their reach towards contemporary philosophers like Haraway, Zizek, and others, who mix ‘singularity’ and ‘abyss’ to either form post-human theories of the ‘Chthulucene’ or monstrous philosophies of ‘singularity’. For this exhibition, Yuqi Wang brings several experimental films and video installations, exploring the far-off mysterious outer space adventures, unreachable lands of life and death, and surreal dreams that blur the line between reality and illusion. They are some sort of unreachable life ‘singularities’, as well as the eternal boundaries exuding infinite magic.
The inspiration for the spatial arrangement originates from the set of Weightlessness : stepping into a surreal cinematic world. A golden field carpets the entire indoor space, with curtains, shelves, cabinets, and other home elements thoughtfully placed to evoke a sense of warmth and familiarity.
However, within this inviting home, eerie surreal elements are scattered throughout: light and shadow dance upon walls and floors, the scenery beyond the curtains seems at odds with reality, and candles illuminate shelves strewn with fallen leaves. Time and space appear distorted here, as visitors wander through this realm, much like traversing an endless dream.
In the exhibition space of Eternal Horizon, a rich natural tableau gradually unfolds. The space is enveloped in a golden autumn grassland, where time and space interweave. Together with the reed-covered corners, the solitude of the cabin, and the warmth of candlelight, they collectively forge an atmosphere that transcends reality.
Trees, silent poets, with branches as verses and leaves as chapters. Each hanging tag carried by visitors reflects introspection and transcendence, an encounter and exploration of eternal boundaries.
The birdcage behind the curtain, and the creature bound by pipes in the photograph, mark the intersection of dreams and reality. They convey an ever-enduring enigma - fear, desire, or transcendence?
The interplay of light and shadow signifies the struggle between the unreal and the real, and the blending of dreams and wakefulness. Here, visitors cease to be mere observers; they become participants, even creators: engaging in philosophical inquiries about human existence and the boundaries of reality. Roaming within, one traverses an endless dream.
No reproduction accepted.