The Growth
2020
video(2:31)
21 x 30 cm (14p)
Thermal paper, alcohol
This project contains 1 video(2mins 31s) and 14 paper works, they will presented together so that viewers could see both of the making process and the final still images at the same time.
The Growth is the final project of my MA course at Camberwell college of art, it is tightly connected my previous practices(Thermal paper experiments)to my quarantine experiences, my current situation and thoughts.
Visual
I am fascinated by the indirect painting methods, and a plain and abstract style is my preference. Thermal paper is a special fine paper that is coated with a material formulated to change color when exposed to heat, furthermore, a fingernail swiped quickly across the paper will also generate enough heat from friction to produce a mark. Once the temperature has risen above 60c, the paper would be colored in a very short time, however the mark can only be reserved for few months.
Its sensitivity and instability give it a unique sense of beauty, which has become the driving force for my creation. I think this material can express my thinking about time and the universe perfectly. By heating and alcohol- applying, I created a visual language on paper like traditional Chinese ink painting, which further led me to explore the aesthetic context of the East.
Because of the quarantine, I gained a sense of inner peace as never before, I started to notice some normal details that easily overlooked, for example, the growth of mould and moss. In my point of view, Although they seem insignificant, they are constantly evolving in their own independent universe. What’s more, I think the growth of those humble things shows a kind of traditional Chinese living wisdom--
“people could make adjustments responding to the changes of situation, moreover, to use a submissive gesture to fight against fate.”
Sound
The sound of rain in the forest makes people feel calm, comfortable and moist. It is designed to remind the audience a feeling of "growing"; the creaking sound of the campfire implies that the material is being heated;
It’s worth mentioning that the electronic music that sounds every five seconds in the background music, from Kouichi Okamoto’s CD [Random],it has various scales included in the 99 tracks and when played randomly, the CD will automatically create unpredictable melodies leading to an endless combination of tracks. I want to suggest a sense of random but eternal to the audience.
Experience
Most areas of mainland China have already lifted the quarantine policy. With masks on, we can go to any place for any activities. In this situation, I found an abandoned hospital in Changsha, the city where I live. At the very beginning, I expect this project should be displayed in the scene of life, the inner space of a building, somewhere solid and composite, in order to maximize my creative intention. So when I take the first glance at this hospital, I think this is a wonderful, natural exhibition hall for my works. It is in disrepair and left unattended. The walls are covered with moss and the windows are broken. , these wonderful details made me dreaming of the scene after human beings disappear, it was so quiet and mysterious.
The discarded furniture (chairs, bed frames, etc.) left in the interior of the building shows that this was once a life-like scene, which quickly reminded me of my lonely, depressive isolated life in the beginning of this year. Making an exhibition in such a dilapidated space is an excellent idea as I think. I hope the audience can calm down from the moment they walk into the building, so that they can feel the field I created, where a place transcends the limitations of time and space, furthermore, they can appreciate the flow of time and feel the eternal mood around themselves.
