Shan hai jing creatures3/1/2024 One might expect to miss out on many hidden details or secret codes, but gallery Marketing and Communications Manager Valerie Lim is quick to allay our fears. To those of us who may not be familiar with classical Chinese texts or interested in the genre at all, an exhibition like this may feel tiresome or overly academic at first glance. Boxed in acrylic and reflected through the clever and careful placement of mirrors, it is impossible to tell where this particular beast begins and ends. This unusual ceramic form of Who’s Who 谁是谁 (2021) was partially modelled after a fantastical fish creature described in the Shan Hai Jing, but also resembles the folds of a human heart. Upon the advice of her friend and teacher the late Chng Seok Tin, Chua looked to the written text of the Shan Hai Jing and Greek mythology for inspiration to create her own playful ceramic renditions of ancient fabled sky and sea creatures. It covers more than 500 mountains and 300 seas, as well as descriptions of many animals and (supposedly) mythical creatures that inhabited these landscapes. The Shan Hai Jing is a literary text providing a vast geographical account of China before the Qin dynasty. Students of Chinese literature may find an interpretive roadmap in the show catalogue, which explains that Chua has transformed the fantastical narratives of Chinese classic text the Shan Hai Jing ( 山海经, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas), as well as elements of Greek mythology, into the bold forms and sculptural vessels seen in Ancient Future Myths. Playful renditions of a mystical mythology ![]() ![]() One of them is even ‘trapped’ in a medicinal-looking glass bottle, evoking a sense of unexpected tension: is this thing going to fly out of the container if released? Hidden 潜藏 (2021).Īs it turns out, Hidden 潜藏 is a sea creature, and the work on display in the gallery is bathed in a mysterious aqua-blue liquid to hint at its origins. They are gnarled and knobbly twisted sculptures, resembling anything from ancient amphoras to Harry Potter-esque golden snitches. This show, which features works by contemporary Singapore artists Ben Loong and Chua Chon Hee, will not disappoint.Ĭhua’s ceramics and wood carvings are curious – humorous even – to both the trained and untrained eye. If you’re looking to enter a peculiar world of magical beasts and starry constellations this Halloween, look no further than AC43 Gallery’s latest exhibition, Ancient Future Myths.
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