EXHIBITION-PATTERNS-MUSEUM-BEIJING CHINA 2015

PATTERNS OF MEMORIES -BEIJING CHINA 2015

SHANGYUAN ART MUSEUM – INVESTIGATING CHINESE SPACES – WITH PATTERNS

SEAMLESS INTERWOVEN

On the terrace plateau of Shangyuan Art Museum, I created a 5m × 5m × 1.5m
wooden installation, inspired by the intricate artistry of traditional Chinese
woodcraft—a language of form where material, technique, and history are
seamlessly interwoven.

A CHINESE TRADITION

The work draws from the delicate mullioned window frames, their lattices veiled
in translucent rice paper, the carved wooden furniture, bound together without
nails or screws, and the wall panels that define intimate interior spaces. These
elements, shaped over dynasties, embody an architectural tradition where precision
is not imposed but discovered—where joints lock effortlessly, forming structures that
breathe with time.

LAYERED MEMORY

This installation is a study of Chinese space as layered memory—a conversation
between past and present, tradition and transformation. It speaks of an ancient
craft refined over centuries, of disruptions brought by the Cultural Revolution, and
of the evolving interplay between heritage and modernity.

LIGHT AND SHADOW

The wooden planes and sculpted forms engage with light and shadow, movement
and stillness. As the sun shifts, the installation transforms, casting intricate patterns—
ephemeral yet deeply rooted, etching time into space. The precise joinery, a hallmark
of classical Chinese woodworking, allows the structure to exist without force—
held together by balance, tension, and an unspoken harmony.

PATTERNS

Here, patterns emerge—not only in form, but in experience. The interplay of wood, light,
and shadow resonates beyond the installation, extending into other works such as the
video pieces Behind The Walls and The Sound of China, where these objects
continue their dialogue in new dimensions. A meditation on material and memory,
Patterns of Memories unfolds as both an artwork and an inquiry—a tribute to
the silent, intricate beauty of a craft where nothing is nailed down, yet everything holds.