Isaac Chong Wai’s work is on view in “Falling Up”, presented by Outside Art Space, at Haitang Gong She, Beijing, China.
“The title “Falling Up” is drawn from the eponymous poem by children’s literature author Shel Silverstein. A body that ought to descend instead rises skyward; the “fall” of order and the “ascent” of will create a paradoxical yet compelling tension. This exhibition takes that tension and extends it into a broader set of inquiries: when spiritual life is suppressed or constrained, the body’s exertion ceases to function merely as an act of resistance and instead becomes the sole pathway towards the mind—a form of respite under passivity. Control and its loss, across mind and the emotions, unfold in alternation. This dynamic constitutes not only a demanding exercise in tolerance and consensus but also an ongoing mechanism of negotiation between the individual and the external world. Amid the numbness and evasions of everyday life, the question remains whether we can still grasp the force that sustains us and retain the courage to expose ourselves.” – Outside Art Space
Curator: Leo Li Chen
Venue: Haitang Gong She, Beijing, China (E5-1, Haitang Gong She, No. 4 Bailusi Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China)
Opening Hours: Tue.–Sat. 13:00–17:00 (by appointment only)
Image courtesy of Outside Art Space.