Dan Zhao

FLUTTERING

06.09 - 26.09.2024

Suspended in an ethereal realm between the visible and the unseen, Dan Zhao's photographs correspond to delicate and fragile representations of her connection with the surrounding reality. From mere imagery to the sphere of experience, Zhao employs the material as a faithful expression of her peculiar way of observing, perceiving and feeling, freezing fragments of her existence through her lens. Printed on specially sourced fabrics, each photograph seeks to transcend the boundaries of dualism— such as interiority and exteriority, abstraction and materiality— to restore independent form at the intersection of these dichotomies.

  • By the River #1, 2023

    Photography printed on speciality paper (Lens tissue)
    9 × 14 cm 
    Frame size: 23 x 28 cm​

  • By the River #2, 2023

    Photography printed on speciality paper (Lens tissue)
    9 × 14 cm 
    Frame size: 23 x 28 cm​

  • By the River #2, 2023, detail

By the River #3, 2023
Photography printed on speciality paper (Lens tissue)
9 × 14 cm 
Frame size: 23 x 28 cm​

“Heaviness but lightness, loss but gain, absence but presence, sadness and relief. Stillness, flow, all condensed into a moment”. The series of artworks entitled “By the River” is designed to instigate a paradigm shift regarding the concepts of life and death. Instead of interpreting them as opposing forces, the series portrays their interdependent and transformative connection. Drawing inspiration from the Heart Sutra Prajna Paramita and the notion of “non-birth and non-destruction” elucidated in Herman Hesse's Siddhartha (1922), these pieces contemplate how the reconfiguration of the psyche can emancipate individuals from suffering and culminate in sublimation, denoting the realisation of life's interconnectedness. The employment of manila linen paper with soft fibres serves as a medium to articulate personal sentiments and embody a demeanour of quiet yet resilient vitality.

  • By the River #4, 2023

    Photography printed on speciality paper
    21 × 12 cm 
    Frame size: 59 x 23 cm​

  • By the River #5, 2023

    Photography printed on speciality paper
    21 × 12 cm 
    Frame size: 59 x 23 cm​

  • By the River #6, 2023

    Photography printed on speciality paper (Mulberry)
    16 × 20 cm 
    Frame size: 23 x 59 cm​

By the River #6, detail

The second series of artwork, titled “Déjà vu”, shifts its focus from existential themes to a deeper investigation of personal and temporal conceptions. This body of work serves as an intricate exploration of memory and the ephemeral nature of experience, offering a philosophical foundation for contemplation. The artist's relocation to the UK marked a pivotal moment, presenting a unique opportunity to delve into the concept of Déjà vu— a phenomenon described as the perpetual journey along the same path, irrespective of time or place. Zhao carefully employed the camera as both a tool and a medium to capture this elusive psychic experience, immortalising the transient scenes and sensations through the tactile and evocative qualities of the materials used. The resulting artworks prompt reflection on the intersections of past and present, memory and oblivion.

  • Déjà vu #1, 2023

    Photography printed on speciality paper (Lens tissue)
    13 × 19 cm 
    Frame size: 23 x 59 cm

  • Déjà vu #1, 2023, detail

  • Déjà vu #1, 2023, original photo

  • Déjà vu #2, 2023

    Photography printed on speciality paper (Lens tissue)
    13 × 19 cm 
    Frame size: 23 x 59 cm

  • Déjà vu #2, 2023, unframed

Trying to connect different fields of expression, Déjà vu #2 endeavours to bridge distinct layers of comprehension, transcending from static imagery to more profound dimensions: a means of unravelling the artist’s mysteries. Executed using a simple half-frame camera, the artwork captures two distinct images from disparate temporal and spatial realms, representing a rare confluence of two streams of consciousness. Zhao adeptly employs material transformation, leveraging their physical characteristics to articulate her personal emotions and to contemplate the enigmatic nature of temporality.

Déjà vu #2, 2023, detail

The second series of artwork, titled “Déjà vu”, shifts its focus from existential themes to a deeper investigation of personal and temporal conceptions. This body of work serves as an intricate exploration of memory and the ephemeral nature of experience, offering a philosophical foundation for contemplation. The artist's relocation to the UK marked a pivotal moment, presenting a unique opportunity to delve into the concept of Déjà vu— a phenomenon described as the perpetual journey along the same path, irrespective of time or place. Zhao carefully employed the camera as both a tool and a medium to capture this elusive psychic experience, immortalizing the transient scenes and sensations through the tactile and evocative qualities of the materials used. The resulting artworks prompt reflection on the intersections of past and present, memory and oblivion.