Shu
My exhibition aims to investigate social norms and provoke thought through conceptual works inspired by a mixture of traditional and contemporary art techniques, cultural background and personal experiences. In particular, my body of work explores the use of found objects in art, with the goal of both challenging the definition of art and provoking thought to the viewer about the themes and message of the artwork. My artworks are intended to investigate and challenge societal norms and critique the surrounding understanding, and are driven by my dissatisfaction for the oppressing manner of these norms.
My initial pieces concentrated on my appreciation for traditional culture, with Small World focusing on the small details reminiscent of the appreciation of simple but beautiful things, and 300SL depicting one of the most iconic cars from the 1950s, putting the spotlight on the beautiful design that went into the car. My later pieces were heavily influenced by the introduction of artist Maurizio Cattelan and his infamous conceptual piece Comedian. Inspired, I started to focus more on conceptual pieces with the use of found objects to express my dissatisfaction with societal norms, noticeably with pieces such as Art and 静寂(empty silence), with Art critiquing the loss of traditional art by juxtaposing a drawing of a broken pencil and a real broken pencil, and 静寂(empty silence) contrasting live flowers and a cracked phone with text messages suggesting suicide to emphasize the sudden nature of suicidal thoughts and actions.
Given an enclosed space to exhibit my work, I created a home-like environment with objects such as chairs and tables, plants, and lights to tie with my theme of everyday objects. With the chairs and table, and having The Last Sip presented in between the chairs, it invites viewers to sit down and take their time to analyze my work and the messages being conveyed through them. Furthermore, by having 静寂(empty silence) and Art presented on the two ends facing the chairs, It will encourage the viewers to continue with the two pieces, further emphasizing the messages conveyed in my works. By having my visual pieces 300SL and Small World presented on opposing sides, they act as an addition to the home-like environment of my exhibition.
300SL (October, 2022)
Chalk and charcoal
50 x 65cm
This charcoal piece is a representation of my passion for cars, in this case, one of the most beautiful and legendary cars ever produced, the Mercedes 300SL, built back in 1955, with a top speed of up to 290km/h, still stands as one of the fastest street-legal cars ever made. One of the main focuses of this art piece is using shadows to show depth effectively and also to invoke the feeling you get when you see the car in person.
静寂(empty silence) (March. 2024)
Acrylic paint on wood and found objects (mobile phone, flowers, frame)
51 × 38 × 4 cm
静寂(empty silence) looks into the dark abyss of the sudden nature of suicide, juxtaposing a phone containing messages suggesting one committing, and bright flowers and an elegant frame to create a sense of shock. This piece also takes reference from Ophelia by John Everett Millais, tying the theme of flower deathbeds with modern society where phones and text messages are now arguably part of ourselves as beings. As the title suggests, 「静寂」is a Japanese word meaning “empty silence”.
The Last Sip (March, 2023)
Papier-mâché, acrylic paint, and Wine glass on clay
24 × 25 × 9 cm
The Last Sip presents the viewer with a break in the 4th wall, using the wine glass to provoke the question of if the wine glass can be considered empty or not. This piece is heavily influenced by 1970s pop culture art, notably Roy Lichtenstein and his comic-like art style, especially with his focus on lips. By only showing the tip of the face and shoulders, this piece also represents the beauty of the human body and provokes the viewer to imagine what kind of person exists out of the frame.
