西岸 | BEST BUND

“Cloudy” is a meteorological state containing rich allusions to human affairs. The symbolism of “Clouds” is multidimensional, and oft-used in literature and art. Frequently seen in landscapes and drama alike, clouds create atmosphere and foreshadow impending narrative twists. The history of eastern and western art have taken similar journeys. Since the advent of modernity, artists have been fragmenting within the tradition of creative expression through “expressing emotion through scenery” -- a tradition that is, perhaps, alive and well today. As artistic mediums and contexts transform, “expressing emotion through scenery” has also taken on new meaning, a dual exploration of “art” and “reality.”QU Fengguo closely interweaves changing seasons and human behavior, intervening between so-called “fleeting moments” and the “natural course of things.” Through his continuous labors, random moments coalesce into “seasons.” While LU Song embarks via “scenery” upon a textual exploration of the story. Plants curtain an entangling, atmospheric space, where “terror” and “fragility” intertwine and loosen. LI Shan’s courtyards, pagodas, and mountains are full of the textures of life, yet they are mostly empty of people. It is as if the individuals who inhabit these spaces have stepped out of frame, resulting in canvases where “absence” and “presence” interplay.

These new interpretations remain closely intertwined with the material state of clouds -- drifting and changeable, clouds transform in our imaginations, and hold the constructs of our minds. They inhabit an abstract existence, yet we are constantly aware of their potential impact, and attempt to decipher the unknowable through what clouds may hide and display.

Our sensitivity to the weather forms an internal portrayal of our environment. As a contemporary artist in Shanghai, ZHANG Ruyi maintains a sensitivity to the phenomena of urban construction and “migration.” The movement of people and buildings transcends the subject of migration, affecting the individuals and objects comprising the urban network in its entirety. Through a unique method, HU Weiyi transforms a massive unknown object into a “net,” which ingeniously captures “nature” within itself.