Abstract of “Home: the Fluidity of Imagination”
“Habitat”, the first exhibition of the “Irregular Plural” series, marks its close with tonight’s night excursion into nature, which also kickoffs Lo Lai Lai Natalie’s artistic journey to explore human’s imagination of the light and the dark while getting to learn about the nocturnal ecology.
Meanwhile, WMA has also invited Dr. Winnie Yee from the Department of Comparative Literature, The University of Hong Kong, to write an article in response to the exhibition:
“In this era, there are those who embrace the role of global citizens, transcending the boundaries of geography, nationality, and ancestral heritage, freely selecting their place and time as their abode. Meanwhile, there are those relentless souls who fiercely safeguard their unique concept of home, daring to construct an ideal haven amidst the impossible. In the exhibition “Habitat,” Lo Lai Lai Natalie and Yuen Nga Chi delve into diverse interpretations of “home,” dismantling the rigid association between “home” and a specific locale. It reveals the fluid nature of “home” and showcases how it emerges from the intricate interconnections between humans and other species. Elizabeth DeLoughrey’s insights into the openness of islands and the fluidity of the ocean, along with the concept of “tidalectics” she developed and enriched, provide a guiding perspective that enables the two artists to engage in profound reflections on the diverse forms of life. Their works involve interactive patterns of continuous transformation between diaspora and locality, such as Lo’s “Deep Flight” and Yuen’s “Mui”. They also contemplate the characteristics of openness and mobility, while simultaneously engaging in various artistic experiments, such as Lo’s “Slow-so TV: Give no words but mum” and Yuen’s “Monument: Flipper, Ada and Honey”, bearing witness to the possibilities of fluid imagination. Beyond critiquing the ecological issues stemming from a human-centric perspective, their artworks also demonstrate a profound concern for the interactions and exchanges with other species. Through the use of rich imagery, layered soundscapes, and engaging dialogue with the exhibition spaces, the exhibition constructs multi-dimensional ecological networks that highlight the dynamic and fluid nature of “home.”
Full article will be included in the biannual publication titled “Home” published the following year.
Photo credits: Allen Chan