This winter break, feeling anxious and lost, I started studying metaphysics.
People always say that we only seek medicine when we are sick. When life is hard and the future is unclear, metaphysics becomes a form of comfort.
The low pay and instability of my art internship made me doubt my choices. I turned to metaphysics for answers. It generally falls into two categories: Innate Destiny (like Chinese Bazi or Western Astrology), which reveals your natural traits and life path; and Prediction (like I Ching or Tarot), used to calculate the outcomes of specific events.
After studying deeply, my view changed. Metaphysics is not just a relief for emotions. It is a logical system, much like math or physics—a tool to help us explore the world and ourselves.
Prediction: Curves and Tangents
Relying on divination and losing your free will is a mistake. If life is a mathematical function, our experiences are a rising and falling curve. Divination is like a tangent line at a single point on that curve: it predicts a trend based on your current state, but it cannot lock in a final destination.
The future changes with your mindset. If you are anxious now, the prediction will be dark. If you are confident, the result will be bright. I realized that life is not set in stone; we always have the power to create.
Innate Attributes: The Manual
To me, metaphysics is not about foretelling the future. It is a user manual—a tool to understand and use myself better to reach my goals.
Life is like a MOBA game. We all play different characters with different stats. No character is “weak”; they just require different strategies. Some are built to take damage, some to deal it. Some are strong early on, while others need time to grow. Metaphysics reveals these fixed starting attributes: your personality, your talents, and your timing. To win the game, you must understand your character’s strengths and act accordingly.
Therefore
Reading my own chart restored my confidence. I am now more determined to follow the path of art. My chart tells me that my deep sensitivity and desire to explore the spiritual world are my unique gifts. Fine art is not just my passion; it is a field where I can truly succeed. My current struggles and quiet accumulation are simply gathering energy for a future breakout.
This winter, my mind and soul grew. Metaphysics didn’t give me a “result”—it gave me “instructions.”
I no longer ask the universe”Will I get what I want” ，instead，I ask “How do I get what I want” ;
I no longer fear uncertainty. Instead, I focus on knowing myself and pushing my potential to the fullest.
For the final outcome, do not ask others and universe. Only ask me.
Philosophy The ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius once said, “If one hears the Way (the Truth) in the morning, one can die content in the evening.” I deeply identify with this sentiment.
For me, exploration is divided into two parts:
Outward Exploration: Understanding nature, time, the universe, and philosophical worldviews.
Inward Exploration: Understanding my identity, emotions, consciousness, and the meaning of existence.
I am forever fascinated by the colorful diversity of the vast world, and I am forever moved by the fact that we can perceive our own existence. Therefore, in my artistic creation and my life, I constantly explore, learn, and perceive. To think is my greatest goal.
Core Goals
Explore the External, Perceive the Internal.
Reduce bias against vulnerable groups in the world.
Part 2: Specific Themes
Connection Between Civilizations
Prehistoric Civilizations: Sanxingdui, the Pyramids, and Atlantis.
The Collective Unconscious: DNA memories, and the serpent-bodied figures in legends (Fuxi and Nuwa).
Origins: Where do we come from? Exploring connections through Religion and the Tao.
History and Reality
Truth vs. Fabrication: History is often a doll dressed by the victors. I seek the “Fire” (Li Trigram) to burn away the false and reveal the true.
Time and Perception: Dreams vs. Reality, “Dreamcore,” and the fluidity of Past, Present, and Future.
The Dream of Life: As the classic poem suggests, “Life is a vast dream; waking up, the smoke vanishes.”
Existentialism: Life is not a destination; it is a journey.
Spiritual Survival: Using Taoist philosophy to maintain mental freedom in a chaotic world.
Eastern Culture: The Spirit of Resistance
Active Struggle: Unlike the Western myth of Noah’s Ark (escaping the disaster), Eastern mythology focuses on fighting back and fixing the world (e.g., Great Yu Controls the Waters, Nuwa Mends the Sky, The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains).
This represents a unique form of Existentialism.
The Universe and Origins
Physics and the Tao: Time is an illusion; the past and present happen simultaneously.
The Multiverse: Dreams are merely jumps between parallel worlds.
Mysticlsm and Mathematics
Self-Exploration: Comparing Eastern systems (Ba Zi, Zi Wei Dou Shu) with Western Astrology (Star Charts).
Life as Calculus: Life is a curve. Fortune-telling is simply calculating the derivative—finding the tangent point of the current moment. Metaphysics is essentially mathematics.
Duality and Opposition
Eternity vs. Change: Perception is subjective; everyone sees a different world.
Macro vs. Micro: The relationship between the Universe and the Human Body (e.g., the myth of Kuafu Chasing the Sun).
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
Inner vs. Outer Worlds: Exploring the boundary between the two.
Breaking the Barrier: Using “Fire” to burn away hypocrisy and reveal the raw, authentic self—removing the invisible membrane that separates neurodivergent individuals from others.
Animals and Nature
Mythological Creatures: Analyzing fantasy creatures from the Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing) as potential memories of prehistoric civilizations.
Animal Protection: The SIP Project and custom dolls.
“It Matters to This One”: (Reference to the Starfish Story)—Focusing on saving individual lives even if you cannot save the whole world.
A few days ago, a major fire broke out in Hong Kong. Eight residential buildings under exterior renovation caught fire in dry, windy conditions. The flames spread uncontrollably and burned for over thirty hours, until nothing was left.
I had only seen scenes like this in movies. I could not believe it was real.
That night, I barely slept. On the news, alongside cries for help, people left messages: “There’s a cat at home.” “There’s a dog.” For the first time, I fully realized that in disasters, the trapped are not only humans. I cannot imagine the fear and helplessness of pets left alone when the fire arrived.
The next day, as the fire weakened, firefighters entered for rescue. Good news came one after another as residents were saved. What moved me most was that they also rescued many animals: a 15-year-old dog, an 18-year-old cat, a parrot, and even a snake, a turtle, and a tank of goldfish… I was deeply moved. I have pets myself, and I know they are never “just animals,” but irreplaceable family.
Honestly, the rescue of these animals moved me even more than the rescue of people. Saving people is what we naturally expect of firefighters. But in such a disaster, they still searched carefully for a tank of goldfish—this is what I truly admire.
To some, in the face of catastrophe, the lives of cats and dogs seem insignificant, and goldfish or hamsters even more so. Yet it is precisely these “insignificant” lives that most clearly test a society’s respect for life.
I was suddenly reminded of a story:
One morning, I walked along the shore and saw countless little fish trapped in shallow pools. Soon the water would evaporate, and they would die. Ahead, a little boy kept bending down, picking up fish and throwing them back into the sea.
I asked him, “There are hundreds, even thousands. You can’t save them all.”
“I know,” he said.
“Then why do it? Who cares?”
“This fish cares,” he said, tossing another fish into the sea.
He kept repeating, “This little fish cares. And this one too.
And this one, and this one…”
This disaster made me realize that Hong Kong is a truly warm and civilized city. I love my country, yet I must admit with sadness that in many parts of mainland China, ideas such as “all life is equal” and “animals deserve to be seen” are still far from widely accepted. I hope to use art to make these overlooked lives truly visible.
In a fire that burned down eight buildings, who would care about a tank of goldfish?
“Ranran” is a three-year young artists’ incubation program initiated by UCCA and Shanghai Xintiandi. Over three years, it has brought nearly one hundred artworks into central Shanghai’s public spaces, continuously exploring how art can coexist with everyday urban life.
From 12 to 23 November 2025, the closing project, “Ranran 2025 – City in touch!”, took place at Dongtaili in Shanghai Xintiandi. The event reviewed the three years of work. It consisted of a retrospective display and a forum: we built a memory wall of objects from past projects, designed cartoon characters for 31 artists based on their works, produced matching merchandise and sculptural pieces, and invited six experts to discuss art and urban culture.
retrospective display winecandle
The theme “City in touch!” echoes Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the “production of space”:
space is not a neutral container but a field produced by relationships and daily practice. Returning art to the street is an effort to root practice in the social environment and rebuild direct connections between people.
Power of Interpretation
In this project, I was responsible for extending the main visual identity and designing all printed materials, including posters of various sizes and product packaging. The workload was heavy, but I enjoyed the creative challenge of recomposing each layout.
After dozens of designs had been approved internally, the project title failed to pass government review. The original forum title “Public presentation” and Chinese title “回到街上” were judged politically sensitive because of associations with twentieth-century Chinese political history. We were required to change them to “community Sharing”and“回到街区”. The phrases differ only in the last character, their meanings and English translations are almost identical.
Due to this, I had to remake every file to replace that single character. Through this repetitive work, I realised how much I dislike tasks that feel meaningless and require no creativity.
At the same time, the experience showed me the power of communication and interpretation. Faced with the same poster, different positionalities focus on different things: I care about layout and visual balance; passers-by care about the activity’s time and place; officials may only notice one or two “sensitive” words. It made me think about how language shapes perception, how bias forms, and how art might send different messages to different groups.
Connections
our booklet–looks like a huge news paper!
On opening day, I worked at the information deskMany people stopped to pick up the booklet and chat with me. One woman was surprised that I am only twenty. She said that at twenty she was still skipping classes in uni, while my posters were already covering one of Shanghai’s busiest commercial districts.
Her comment shifted my perspective. I had treated these work as “just doing my job”, but if saying it as a twenty-year-old student can visibly shape the visual atmosphere of a major urban area in Shanghai, that is remarkable. Watching people pause in the street to look closely at the memory wall and the posters I designed, I felt both proud and deeply moved. I sensed the links between art and society, and between one person and another.
In that moment, I understood the core idea of the “Ranran” project:
art is never far from everyday life; it is part of life itself, and a window through which we get to know the city and understand one another.
The event lasted only two weeks, but its traces in the city will be long-lasting. Buildings and residents will change, yet the city’s atmosphere and its human connections continue. In Xintiandi, we used art to briefly link past, present, and future. Art quietly enters the environment and becomes part of the community’s shared memory. Its influence may appear now, or surface later in an unexpected moment.
Dongtaili in the Past Dongtaili Today
As an ancestor of future city dwellers, I would like to believe that the energy and thought I put into these works will keep growing in the city, living on in ways that are subtle but enduring.
“New Language of Ancient Architecture,” was the first and largest project I worked on during my placement. It was in Jincheng, which is not a developed city, but it is known for historic architecture and deep cultural heritage. The exhibition ran 30/09/2025–31/12/2025 and was a collaboration between our company and the Jincheng municipal government to promote local architectural culture and support the local arts.
The exhibition comprised two parts: one is the group show Cosmic Alignment, featuring ten Chinese and international artists; the other is the site-specific project The Eightieth Day.
Exhibition 1 — Cosmic Alignment
The gallery footprint was modest, but the spatial design was smart: tailored niches for works across very different media and styles, unified by a deep blue–silver palette that sustained a cosmological atmosphere.
Concept
“Cosmic Alignment” grows from the Chinese character “斗 (dou)”, bridging architecture, astronomy, and agriculture.
This ancient unit of measurement interconnected three pivotal technologies—mechanics, astronomy, and numerology. I think this concept is extremely brilliant！The exhibition explores ancient Chinese cosmology through material and technological lenses, embodying the unity of space and time, an infinite universe, and the relationship between humans and the cosmos.
This is a kinetic installation. It uses sensors to collect real-time air-quality data and converts it into changes of form, color, and sound within the mechanism, making otherwise invisible atmospheric conditions perceptible. Like a “translator,” it lets viewers sense environmental change through sight and sound, drawing attention to the interplay between human activity and the state of the air.
Xie Qun, Map of the Nuwa Mountain Ruins, 2025, ink on xuan paper, 240 × 123 cm
Inspired by Chinese myth of Nuwa patching the sky, the serpent-bodied figure is transformed into the counter-form of earth veins and mountains, symbolizing unity between human and natural form. The work situates myth within concrete spaces and practices, combining material-culture research with anthropological imagination.
I have been reading the Classic of Mountains and Seas and am drawn to the ties between mythical creatures and their geographies; this piece turns myth into a legible spatial and productive reality.
Using discarded cardboard, the artist reconstructs the dougong structure (interlocking wooden brackets) from traditional architecture and paints the Four Symbols（the protection of the four directions）. Standing before it, I felt surrounded by stars and ancient temples, sensing the link between cosmos and architecture, faith and belief. I can feel the depth of ancient imagination about the universe.
The work draws on the ancient practice of “measuring with the body”—telling time by observing one’s shadow in sunlight. Later generations invented astronomical instruments to refine this temporal order. The artist suggests humans have never been separate from nature; the cosmos is apprehended through the body, expressing Chinese philosophy about“the unity of heaven and humanity”.
Gabriel Lester, Small People, Big Shadows, 2024, conveyor, tree models, figurines, 45 × 50 × 46 cm
Two light-based works continue Lester’s long-term inquiry into narrative, motion, spatiotemporal perception. Figures and objects travel on a conveyor while constant light witnesses their passage. It reminded me of a famous accent Chinese poem sentence:
“People today do not see the moon of old,
yet this moon once shone on people of the past.”
The light behind is like the moon that remains constant, quietly witnessing change and the passage of time.
Screenshot
Nie Shichang, Droplet Oscillator, 2025, mixed metals (iron, stainless steel, copper), 90 × 70 × 80 cm
Based on calendar systems derived from sky-watching and agricultural time, the work embeds yin-yang lunisolar principles in concentric rings. It is Merging natural ripple patterns with compass-like forms, a mechanical transmission simulates wave dynamics. As the device runs, rings inscribed with celestial symbols rise and overlap like waves, suggesting a link between subtle variation and grand cosmic order and inviting reflection on natural laws within traditional Chinese cosmology.
Emily Cheng, Cassandra, 2023, Flashe on canvas, 28 × 36 cm
Cheng explores the spirituality of painting and cosmological philosophy, constructing visions that link inner spirit and universe through abstraction. Combining Daoist talismans, scientific illustration, and prehistoric rock art, she dissolves boundaries between inner/outer, individual/collective, past/present.
Exhibition 2 — The Eightieth Day
This large-space installation draws on the myth of Nuwa patching the sky. Using raw cowhide, natural stone, and mixed media with instrumental performance, it focuses on the moment just before cosmic order is restored.
I appreciate this immersive format that invites reflection.Walking through, I felt suspended between destruction and repair, chaos and order—as if back before the birth of civilization, about to witness the shift from turmoil to structure. It prompted three questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going?
However, as an animal-protection advocate, the material of this work – cowhide – made me into deep reflection. I understand cowhide is a by-product of beef production. It is common in everyday life such as car interiors, bags, where its properties are functionally used. However, in this exhibition, over 200 sheets of dried cowhide were simply suspended in the space, without any real use of their material properties. What will happen to them after the show？Stored away or discarded?
To me, cowhide is not strictly irreplaceable in this context. While Damien Hirst’s work is controversial, His works expose how the living often face death with indifference, even turning it into a spectacle. However, The Eightieth Day explores the dawn of civilization; if the aim is to evoke a primordial atmosphere,fabric or recycled, low-impact materials could achieve a similar effect. More broadly, creative practice should move beyond a human-centered default, ask what “nature” or non-human creature would say, and keep sustainability in view.
A Setback — and What It Taught Me
Beyond this, the project also left me with another important lesson. Our original plan was more ambitious: beyond the exhibition, we scheduled a week-long outdoor stage performance over holiday, designed by famous architect Ma Yansong and directed by Liu Chang, blending contemporary theatre with local traditional opera—a genuinely inventive program. The entire team believed in its artistic merit. Yet one week before opening, the mayor and the police department canceled it, even though rehearsals and stage construction were complete.
From the mayor’s perspective, parts of the work were too avant-garde and dark for an official, government-partnered event. The police cited practical concerns: hundreds of spectators in an open square, insufficient parking, and potential crowd-safety risks. This was my first real lesson that artistic creation is not absolutely “free.” The same artwork conveys different meanings when viewed from the perspectives of different social roles. Mature projects must balance multiple viewpoints; while pursuing artistic ideals, we must fully account for real world conditions and social context.
Conclusion
This project gave me more than new sources and ideas for my research: it deepened my understanding that artistic work must weigh environmental responsibility and communication to different role, alongside concept and form. I’m certain the experience will stay with me and inform my future practice.
Last week, I completed a neurodiversity assessment with a doctor from Psychiatry UK and was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) with mild ADHD. I felt like though years of unspoken frustration were finally acknowledged. Like The Truman Show, I suddenly realized that most people experience life more easily and happily, while I have spent over twenty years imitating and learning how to fit into society.
As a high-functioning autistic woman, I appear almost no different from others: I can live independently and communicate effectively. Yet I have always felt different and lonely. With age, the mental strain and loneliness caused by this difference have grown stronger. Many things that others grasp instinctively require me to use brain to thinking. Additionally, I am more sensitive to external stimuli such as noise or texture, which often leaves me exhausted.
When I told my parents and a few close friends about the diagnosis, they were surprised, concerned but confused, thinking I was overanalyzing. I understand their reaction. In their minds, I am intelligent, friendly, and capable, nothing like their image of autism who struggles with speech or social behavior. One friend asked why I insisted on getting a diagnosis if it didn’t affect my “normal” life or lead to treatment, especially after waiting on the list for six months.
For me, the diagnosis holds profound meaning. It has resolved decades of confusion and pain, explaining why I have always had to work so hard to fit in and why I experience obsessive thought patterns invisible to others. I discovered that many things I once thought “normal” were not. Most people easily notice physical or emotional discomfort, which is hard for me to recognize. For example, I might become irritated because I forgot to go to toilet all day or was extremely thirsty, yet fail to realize the physical cause behind the emotion.
Besides, this diagnosis made me feel my real self that I had hidden behind a mask for so many years was finally seen. I remembered when I was a child, I refused to wear any tight clothes and sweaters, even those knitted by my grandmother. I always felt guilty for my picky and seeming ungrateful. But now, I understand that it was sensory sensitivity, not defiance. I felt immense relief, as if I had received an official notice declaring that I had never been guilty.
Yet, to be honest, my family and friends’ initial reactions left me slightly disappointed. I know they love me, but they cannot truly feel my world or understand the challenges it brings. This made me realize how little awareness of neurodiversity exists, especially in China, where autism is still equated with being nonverbal or socially withdrawn. Those with milder ASD or ADHD symptoms often recognize themselves only through personal exploration.
For this reason, I now have a strong desire to express the autistic experience through art — to help others see, understand, and reduce bias. I want people to know that difference is not a flaw, but another way of being. Previously, my artistic research mainly focused on philosophy and physics — broad, external themes. After being diagnosed with autism, I realized the meaning of exploration life not only in observing the universe outside, but also in perceiving one’s own existence inside.
Each person observes the world through a unique identity, experience, and sensory lens. As someone on the autism spectrum, I hope to use art to record and translate this perception. I believe art is a medium of understanding, acceptation, and embraced.
To be honest, my first reason for applying to the DPS program was quite practical. My health condition wasn’t good, and I wanted to stay in my home country to recover. Besides, I thought some internship experience would help me apply for graduate school.
Yet while filling the DPS application form, I realized what I truly needed this one- year time itself. I am going to enter my final undergraduate year. Although I had done well in all my previous units that mostly earning A’s, I didn’t feel ready to graduate. I was confused about my career direction, and more importantly, I didn’t really understand myself:
Why do I want to go to graduate school? What do I want to do in the future? Where do I want to live? Why am I even alive?
……
I had no answers.
I feared time was running too fast, and I wasn’t ready for the future. So in a way, I used DPS as a way to delay facing it, a “gap year” to hide in, rather than a brave challenge.
But once the year truly began, everything turned out completely different from what I had imagined — far more rewarding than I imagined. Besides the professional experience I gained, I also found the answers I’d been searching for and many new chances.
The first project I joined in my placement was an exhibition about ancient Chinese cosmology, which is a subject I’ve long been fascinated by. It deeply inspired me and reawakened my desire for research. I realized how wondrous the universe is, and I want to continuously explore it through art — not just within Chinese philosophy, but across different civilizations in the world. This confirmed my decision to pursue graduate study, where can help me to continue this exploration on a broader platform.
At the same time, as I met more art professionals, I started to think seriously about possible career paths after graduate school. Perhaps as an independent artist, a curator, an art investment consultant, or even starting my own brand. I began taking small steps, like accepting online commissions for handmade crafts. It was stressful, as I always worried about clients wouldn’t be satisfied, and I was struggling to balance the time between work and creation. but I know that every career begins with uncertainty, and persistence brings growth.
Now I feel my life became positive and energetic. During my three-hour commute, I’ve also developed a new habit that listening to audiobooks. Lately, I’ve been listening to Tao Te Ching （a foundational texts of ancient Chinese philosophy）written by Laozi as my research. Laozi teaches that everything is relative, and he named the origin and return of all things “Tao.”
In Chapter 15, he writes:
“混而能静，澄之徐清；安以动之，徐生。”
“When turbid, remain still, and the water will slowly clear;
When at peace, let movement arise, and life will slowly unfold.”
I was deeply moved by this fantastic idea. I realized the mind must stay calm to be clear; when the heart becomes clear, action flows naturally, bringing genuine vitality.
Now I feel like a clear stream — peaceful, with clear goals and no longer anxious; yet driven by purpose, I keep moving, learning, and exploring, each day filled with quiet energy. Though the DPS year may seem still on the surface, it carries immense power inside, bringing vitality and possibilities.
I’ve finally understood that major study, career, and life are not separated, but as the “stillness and motion” mentioned by Laozi—they complete and transform each other.
Through exploring art and the world, I’m also discovering and refining myself, which is the true purpose of living.
Since April this year, I have been continuously revising my portfolio and CV, sending applications to ten art institutions. At first, I received internship offers from two fashion brands, a game company, and three art museums. However, the company I desired best—UCCA Center for Contemporary Art—still haven’t reply.
Founded in Beijing by the Ullens couple, UCCA is China’s top contemporary art institutions and also my favorite museum. It has hosted many solo exhibitions of global famous artists, such as Lubaina Himid and Lawrence Weiner. My desire to intern there not only because its curatorial excellence, but also because I believe the opportunity to learn within a professional and intellectually vibrant environment.
I first applied through UCCA’s website in June, updated my portfolio and reapplied in July, but received no response. Although I felt anxious and discouraged, knowing the competition was fierce, I applied a third time in August—and a week later received an interview invitation. During the interview, my supervisor told me UCCA had no plan to recruit interns in June and July, but new projects had just opened positions, and my email happened to appear at the top of their inbox. That experience taught me that no reply doesn’t mean rejection, persistence and sincerity can create opportunities.
Observation
I am currently interning in the UCCA Lab department, which curates collaborative art projects between UCCA and government and various brands, such as Prada, Arc’teryx, and Lenovo. Over the past two months,I have participated in five projects and gained valuable experience.
Firstly, I developed new graphic design skills. Previously, I only used Photoshop, but many projects required editing AI-format posters and InDesign layouts. To meet these needs, I learned AI and ID by myself. During this process, I often asked technical problems to ChatGPT—it has become my most reliable learning companion. Through continuous practice, I am now proficient in both design software and in using artificial intelligence tools. This improvement has made me more efficient in my internship and made a solid foundation for creating my own publications in the future.
More importantly, this internship revealed the complex structure behind art projects. Although as an intern, my work mainly involves execution rather than innovation or decision-making, I have learned about the entire process of turning a curatorial concept into an actual exhibition.
I used to think that curation was simply about spatial design and artwork arrangement. However, I now see that my supervisors must also communicate constantly with government partners and sponsors, refine proposals, collaborate with design studios on visual systems, and handle logistics such as transport and travel. My duties include creating visual designs based on the main visual systems, designing goods, confirming caption with artists……
Practice
This experience completely reshaped my previous “bias”of curation. It is not merely an artistic idea, but a collaborative and highly coordinated system involving multiple departments. The experiences, methods, and insights I have gained here will continue to influence my future studies and creative practice.
At present, I plan to work at UCCA Lab for three months, then apply for another department at UCCA or seek new internship opportunities in London. I hope that through experiencing different professional and cultural environments, I can broaden my perspective, challenge my own biases, and make my artistic practice more open and inclusive.
When I was a child, I often felt a quiet sadness watching a piece of soap slowly disappear.
A new soap is always square, smooth, and jade-like. But with times of washing, it rubs against hands and clothes, then becomes rough and cracked, shrinking little by little until it disappear completely. This mirrors the track of life itself — from an infant to a wrinkled elder, and finally to death, returning to nothingness.
Yet in a closed system, matter and energy are conserved. Nothing truly disappears, what seems disappeared is merely transforms. Life is the same — individual death is merely a transformation into another form of existence.
Therefore, I depict a soap figure gradually dying, while the vanished parts reunite and slowly take shape again, symbolizing rebirth.
As Zhuangzi (A famous ancient Chinese philosopher) wrote:
“Heaven and Earth were born with me; all things and I are one.”
Constancy
2025, Sophie Wang
35 cm × 35 cm × 60 cm
Soap, Acrylic, Glass
Lathered Living was held from September 24 to October 8 at 798 Art District, Beijing’s most renowned art hub. It is an exhibition of works from global young artists and supported by JingDong (Joybuy’s parent company, one of China’s major enterprises). In this exhibition, works used soap as the primary material, exploring three sub-themes: interpersonal relationships, the body/self, and perceptions of the world.
When I first saw the exhibiiton’s open call in August, the sub-theme “perceptions of the world” attract me a lot. I had previously created a work exploring the concept of “disappearance” in Eastern philosophy, which closely resonated with its theme and materials‘ concept. I adapted that work and was successfully selected.
This was the first time I independently found an exhibition opportunity and made it through a competitive selection process. I also received a £105 gift card as a prize, so I am so excited and proud of it. Besides, I was also fortunate to see many outstanding works by other young artists in this exhibition. This experience made me feel that my work was recognized and seen by a broader audience. It has encouraged me to take part in more public art activities and share my ideas with the world.
Your one and only father
I am pleased to extend my warm congratulations to the establishment of this online archive. The pursuit of artistic elegance lies in everyone’s mind, deeply encoded with their feelings of love, hate, intimidation, and ecstasy. It is thus the artists, who have a mind sensitive enough to notice the subtlety of this connection, to become microphone of people, speaking their feelings in the language of lines, strokes, lights, and shades.
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