QIMU Space is delighted to present the debut solo exhibition of Luo Yini, titled The Huldufólk. The works in this exhibition pivot around Luo Yini's experiences and artistic practices during her residency in Iceland. They showcase how she reconsiders the relationship between humanity and nature, transforming it into a series of works combining screen printing, acrylic painting, and resin casting.
Yini Luo's visual language is rooted in her extensive exploration of printmaking. To her, the dissemination of information across the surface of objects encapsulates the essence of printmaking in its broadest sense. Amidst countless processes of replicating information accompanying the development of human civilization, perhaps it is the time dedicated to human labor that is not replicable, and the aura with it most illusive. The way of preserving them within visual representation can only be achieved through the abstract traces hinting at the arrangement of layered images and material change. It is in the layering of images that the irreversible passage of time is narrated. The insights gleaned from Yini's study of printmaking permeate into her subsequent endeavors in video and painting creation, blending harmoniously with her profound fascination of immersing herself in nature, generalized into a way to perceive the experiential world, accompanied by a set of unique visual construction principles: the vast timescales of material transformation inherent in the natural world undergo a profound compression, resulting in a convergence wherein all tangible objects dissolve into a harmonious interplay of light and texture. While these works may initially appear intricate and demand viewers' deep contemplation, they can be loosely categorized into three thematic series. However, at their core, they are saturated with the reciprocal overlay and revelation of various strata, resonating with the overarching title of the exhibition, "The Huldufólk”. Enclosed within parentheses in Chinese title, strategically placed, lie subtle prompts, inviting viewers to discern hidden elements within the unveiled compositions.
In the exhibition, spectators are immersed in a sensory journey enriched the superposition of various media, condensing natural phenomena in Iceland such as aurora scattering, lava solidification, ice melting, raging winds and waves, and rare glimpses of greenery revival...At a more abstract level, it attempts to to distill the nuanced climate data—pertaining to distance, warmth, humidity, strength, weakness, rapidity, and slowness—into distinct layers through varied material manifestations. Notably, the artist's employment of transparent materials adds significant depth to the conveyance of visual information, requiring a penetrative interpretation. This is also the result of the artist's extraction of visual impressions of ice, snow, water flow, and light in Iceland. Conversely, specific transparent mediums also present a fluid bodily posture, derived from the Nordic legend of island spirits - The Huldufólk (Icelandic, meaning "The Hidden People”). Through her immersive experiences in Iceland, the artist realizes the essence of these island spirits is a longing for nature to exhibit humanity, driven by a recognition of human insignificance. This longing is also a projection of human subjectivity. Hence, these transparent and wrinkled material bodies are Yini's tribute to this group. They also serve as a metaphor for the tension between humans and nature, a critical self-reflection on the image of human. In the current state of ecological crisis, the earth seems to be in the uncertainty of accelerating destruction. The artist thus turns to the re-affirmation of natural forces and the retreat of subjective self as an opportunity to reconcile with nature and regeneration of mankind.
