Exhibition View of “Machine's Dialogue”
This is an absurdly innovative aesthetic that resonates profoundly with the familiar realities of contemporary life.
—Zhang Chen, Associate Professor at School of Humanities, CAFA
Tong Kunniao's latest solo exhibition “Machine's Dialogue”is presented by LAN Gallery, scheduled from September 27 to November 20, 2024. Tong Kunniao' s body of work encompasses various mediums, including installation, painting, and performance art. He revitalized materials with a strong personal touch, constructing a powerful depiction of existence through innovative applications and arrangements.
Exhibition View of “Machine's Dialogue”
The Preface
Tong Kunniao showcases his acclaimed installation art, particularly the intricate machines he devised and constructed. These creations dominated exhibition spaces, generated a symphony of sounds often mesmerising the audience. In this showcase, we witness a metamorphosis where these machines have entered the canvas domain. Notably, the artist's canvas work has consistently paralleled his other artistic endeavours, with these pieces becoming true "canvas works" through their confluence with installation elements. The installation works now serve as visual analogs of their physical counterparts, as the material machines project their shadows, while the interconnected circuitry transforms into detailed representations rendered by the artist. Additionally, these visuals are enveloped in silk fabric and mineral pigments, engaging the viewer on a two-dimensional level, and thereby fostering a tangible connection between the artist and the audience.
Exhibition View of “Machine's Dialogue”
In essence, the apparatus, which initially seemed unconventional, is intricately and progressively integrated into a distinct transforming context through the artistic methodology. In this new domain, contemporary industrial artifacts—or more precisely, the remnants of industrial processes—interlaced with the ancient aesthetics of eastern heritage. This fusion engendered a viewing experience that is at once recognizable and otherworldly, graceful yet mocking. The painted installation echoed the authenticity of actual machinery, their subtle movement producing an unexpected rustling sound against the tranquil canvases and pristine exhibition field.
Exhibition View of “Machine's Dialogue”
On the other hand, the inherent technological characteristics embodied by these machines and installations allude to post-human concepts such as the integration of humanity and machinery. This interaction with silk and floral artistry invited a reflective voyage from the future into the past, transitioning from the dissonance of modern existence to historical narratives. It can be posited that the dynamic interactions between installations, paintings, and machinery constitute the essential framework of Tong Kunniao’s contemporary oeuvre. This amalgamation unveiled both remarkable craftsmanship and a pronounced low-tech clumsiness, demonstrating a sophisticated command of technology while simultaneously critiquing its associated crises. The continual reconfiguration and juxtaposition of machines, quotidian objects, human figures, waste materials, and canvases cultivate an absurdly innovative aesthetic that resonates profoundly with the familiar realities of contemporary life.
Zhang Chen, Associate Professor at School of Humanities, CAFA
About the Exhibition
Tong Kunniao Solo Exhibition: Machine's Dialogue
Duration: 2024 / 9 / 27 - 2024 / 11 / 20
Hours: Tuesday To Saturday, 10:00 - 19:00; Sunday, 12:00 - 17:00; Closed on Monday
Location: L3 No.9 O'Plaza , Nanshan District, Shenzhen
Courtesy of the Artist and LAN Gallery.
