Artists：Jing Wang/Yiwen Zhao

Curator：Xinyu Wong

2023.10.20-12.10

Address: 1123CULTURAL AND CREATIVE PARK, TIANXIN DISTRICT, CHANGSHA.

Any one who has common sense will remember that the bewilderments of the eyes are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light, which is true of the mind’s eye, quite as much as of the bodily eye; and he who remembers this when he sees any one whose vision is perplexed and weak, will not be too ready to laugh; he will first ask whether that soul of man has come out of the brighter life, and is unable to see because unaccustomed to the dark, or having turned from darkness to the day is dazzled by excess of light. And he will count the one happy in his condition and state of being, and he will pity the other; or, if he have a mind to laugh at the soul which comes from below into the light, there will be more reason in this than in the laugh which greets him who returns from above out of the light into the den.

                                                                                              ——Book VII of Plato’s The Republic

In Daniel Keyes’ writings, Algernon becomes a subject of biological experiments, undergoing continuous training to enhance intelligence beyond normal levels. The driving force behind his actions evolves from basic food desires to a pursuit of individual achievements. However, the intervention of external forces, through constant experiments and training, results in negative outcomes due to Algernon’s increased cognitive abilities and heightened emotional experiences. ” Tragedy can only occur for the highborn, because one could only have a tragic fall from a great height ” (Poetics, Aristotle).

In this exhibition, we have invited two artists who explore the experience of nature in their creations. They both symbolize the universal characteristics of natural elements and reconstruct them through personal sensibilities. Through their artwork, they reexamine the relationships between humans and nature, as well as the stability of relationships between different objects. The experience of stability can be felt by the viewers after observing their works, evoking a sense of poetry, compassion, and returning to the primitive and simple. In this era, everyone is an Algernon on the experimental field.

In the information overload of the digital age, massive amounts of data and constantly updated information flood in, breaking down the barriers of information while disregarding the differences in individual experiences, leading to a sense of cruelty. The conclusion drawn from universal experiences shows that cognitive improvement does not necessarily correspond to a healthy and independent personality. The oppressive nature of a one-sided digital environment without personal experiences can be relieved by reconnecting with nature.

” P.S. please if you get a chance put some flowers on Algernon grave in the bak yard. ”

The end of the text carries a sense of compassion for the tragic ending of Algernon. This art project aims to present an experience of “results.” Artistic creation is a way for the subject to present their subconscious perception of the objective world. By observing how artists use elements of nature to present their creative experiences, one can feel the process of externalizing unconscious emotions. The view of observing nature in its raw form and contemplating its beauty with pure aesthetics emerges. Reflect and enjoy the images created by artists’ free spirits, as the beauty of these images lies in their expression of freedom. Artists create a refuge from the real world, seeking feedback from nature and offering a spiritual bouquet to the audience who experiences their works.

Wang Jing’s paintings depict a hazy and poetic nature, touching on irrational perceptions. The artist chooses nature as the starting point precisely because it can be completely stripped of social attributes. Her works hover between self-awareness and natural feedback, superimposed on the true brilliance of color and the translation of impressions.

Yiwen’s works are confrontations with choreographed order and energy, more like constructing a new natural dimension. Insects and birds, vines and moss, and green leaves and stems in the countryside are translated into brushstrokes of restraint and confrontation. These regular images and green traces are planned in a new dimension of plane space, flowing out of the vitality that flourishes in nature.

Artists Wang Jing and Yiwen’s healing exhibition project “Flower For Algernon” traces its origins in nature. This art project is based on the research of art therapy and revolves around the presentation of a “result” experience. It presents two artists’ original observation of nature and pure emotional externalization, and enjoys creating a refuge from the real world. The purpose of the project is also to leave a spiritual bouquet to the viewer by obtaining feedback from nature.

Everyone is an Algernon trapped in the data experiments of the times, and it is precisely because nature may be able to independently develop too many social attributes. This is the theme we want to explore in this art project, even if nature exists The competitiveness just shows a sense of power, which is exactly the energy we can get from watching it.