“Ink”(墨) has a special role in Chinese culture and is one of the symbols of Chinese art. It is this material, with its unique smell and texture, that gave Alëna the inspiration for her works.
Following the countless possibilities of ink, from drawing to xylography, Alëna explores an universe of forms and signs in between the East and the West.
The use of the traditional dip pen, which carries for Alëna a treasure of childhood memories, together with the thicker Chinese ink, creates beautiful imperfect lines and shades. The combination of linear geometries and uneven textures is the artist’s representation of the dichotomy hardness/softness and in a way East/West.
DYWWA – Do You Want to Wear an Artwork?
Not afraid of exploring the boundaries between artworks and products, Alëna created DYWWA to bring her art closer to everyday life. The soft textile medium allows interactions that are impossible on paper. Wearing her art means to move it, bend it, stretch it, expose it to different lightning, while observing it and sharing it with the people around.
“Having ink in the stomach” is an interesting Chinese expression to identify someone wise and cultured, an aspiration that we can all be reminded of by Alëna’s work.
About the exhibition
Date: March 15, 2015 – April 5, 2016
Opening: March 19, 2016, 16:00, Saturday
Venue: Ju Er Space
Courtesy of the artist and Ju Er Space.
