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Vivid Cube: Individual Narratives in a Collective Network

Vivid Cube Individual Narratives in a Collective Network
Photo Courtesy: Vivid Cube / BluBlu Art Institute

Theme: Vivid Cube
Date: September 1 – September 9, 2024
Location: 49 E 78th St, John Molloy Gallery
Participating Artists: Sitong Cao, Yihe Huang, Ruyan Sun, Shuyang Chen, Celine Lam

The group exhibition “Vivid Cube,” curated by BluBlu Art Institute, will be on view at 49 E 78th Street, New York from September 1 to September 9, 2024. In social organization, each of us can be disciplined into a small cube. Every cube, as an independent existence, displays unique colors and facets. However, the essence of social operation lies in the network connecting these cubes. The theme “Vivid Cube” suggests that all participating artists possess distinct artistic philosophies and creative backgrounds. Yet, these artists do not confine themselves to their micro-worlds. Instead, they attempt to reach a universal human emotional deficit through their works.

As Plato depicted in The Republic, humans, once separated by the gods, are fragile and lonely, both in reality and in name. This explains why we inherently seek to project our emotional patterns onto others. In this exhibition, each artist, through their insights and reflections on artistic themes, has painted in distinct colors. Just as a cube serves as a complete cultural vessel, every narrative becomes personal due to its unique perspective. Baudrillard, in his discussion of “collective institutions,” said, “The window displays, advertisements, production labels, and trademarks here play a primary role and impose a consistent collective idea, as if a chain, an almost inseparable whole; they are no longer a mere series of products but a series of meanings…” In the cultural narrative production, each cube conceals an independent cultural subject. In a sense, they are autonomous and isolated. However, in light of Baudrillard’s concept of “collective institutions,” these cubes can be seen as an elongated chain, carrying emotions and human desires, constructing an interactive network of human society and its surrounding environment. To some extent, their existence reveals the deficiencies inherent in human beings as subjects and hints at an ongoing lack.

Shuyang, a Chinese artist currently residing in London, completed her undergraduate studies at the China Academy of Art and is now pursuing a master’s degree in fine arts at Goldsmiths, University of London. The core of her artistic exploration is the resilience and fragility of women, particularly within her own family background. She examines the complexities of female identity and the societal expectations influencing it, delving into broader themes like consumerism, future archaeology, immigration, and diaspora, offering a critical perspective on contemporary issues. In her work The Artist’s Wedding, she uses the famous painting The Arnolfini Portrait as a blueprint. While she retains the overall composition of the original painting, she consciously modifies the facial details of the figures. Through subtle clues and traces, the artwork injects humor into what was initially a solemn and metaphorical scene. This alteration invites the audience to consider how the artist, as a contemporary individual, responds to and challenges the preceding art system, simultaneously serving as a self-confession of her own sense of value.

Similarly, in A Day at the Beach, Ruiyan Sun explores the theme of intimacy, creating an ethereal sense that is both beautiful and unforgettable. In the artwork’s introduction, the artist writes, “When he caught her in his arms as she leapt towards him, his heart skipped a beat.” Artist Sitong Cao uses photography and flowers as still-life subjects to develop a series of light and shadow games. Through variations in color and the posture of flowers, the artist creates numerous possibilities for emotional expression. Celine Lam, on the other hand, employs deliberately rough and abstract techniques to create a sense of danger and imbalance in her seemingly serene painting How Are You? Artist Yihe Huang’s Yellow Box explores the close relationship between installation and environment, offering a new perspective on how we reconsider installation art today.

In the “Vivid Cube” exhibition, each artist, through their unique artistic perspectives and diverse creative techniques, maintains individuality while revealing subtle resonances among them. Whether it’s Shuyang’s reinterpretation of classical works to question the art system, Ruiyan Sun’s poetic exploration of intimacy, or Sitong Cao’s use of flowers and light to reveal the subtleties of emotion, these cube-like works reflect the shared absence and interdependence of human emotions. As Plato noted, separated individuals are in constant pursuit of wholeness, and these artworks respond to and reenact this pursuit, depicting the complex intertwining of emotions, desires, and society. Ultimately, the exhibition not only showcases the private expressions of individual artists but also reveals their place and significance within a broader social and cultural network.                               

 

Published by: Khy Talara                                                                                                                                                            

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