There’s a curious improvement occurring within the ongoing narrative of Tang Shuo’s work the place the occupants of his former dwelling Boulder Hill (or Da Shi Shan, 大石山) have all slowly morphed into variations of the artist himself. This appears symbolic, even melancholic, the place an artist aspires to pave the lacuna between truth and reminiscence and continues inserting himself into the function of the Chinese language farmer, employee, neighbour or member of the family.
“A few of these items mirror my very own experiences, whereas others are narratives handed right down to me from my dad and mom or individuals nonetheless dwelling within the space.” This repetition of a single particular person or id all through the works is one thing of a psychological trick; each engaging and confounding the viewer.
“The Little one Catching Butterflies” clearly exhibits Shuo as a grown man; “Weeder” presents the artist virtually genuflected as if wounded, the work one way or the other paying homage to Millet’s 1857 Masterwork “The Gleaners.” However Shuo’s works additionally strongly remind of Mexican painter Diego Rivera – with their broad darkish options and extensive eyes – they appear to suit the archetype of the sector employee or peasant. However by inserting himself in every of those guises, Shuo seems to ask us to seek out traces of ourselves inside these (arche)sorts, simply as he has.
In current fashionable media, as an example, Charlie Kaufman’s animated Anomalisa used an identical trick, whereby every character other than the titular Lisa was voiced by David Thewlis. One thing about underscoring or limiting the individuality of the characters asks viewers to immerse themselves within the narrative; query our personal positioning to the works. By making himself ubiquitous, he paradoxically makes himself nameless.
“I additionally search to delve into probably the most secretive psychological features of those narratives, even when they is probably not totally factual. On this exhibition, I hope viewers can immerse themselves within the tales of Boulder Hill, experiencing the reminiscences and feelings I’ve encountered. I purpose for these artworks to evoke resonance and provoke contemplation on private reminiscences, hometown historical past, and human feelings.”
In “A Household Story,” Shou recounts the tragedy of a private buddy whose household was affected by an sickness that claimed the lives of the buddy and people round him. Right here, Shuo depics numerous phases of grief and mourning; from the leftmost determine pondering trying to find hope; the central determine struck by the burden of mortality; and the rightmost determine plagued mentally by the ills of a irreversible sickness.
In some respects, these works operate as a memento mori, by which viewers are supposed to internalize the highly effective eventualities or messages incorportated herein to remind us of our restricted time on earth. Shou says: “I wish to distinction the completely different states of thoughts amongst these people, juxtaposing their struggling with concepts of innocence.”
As we mirror on these works, their energy appears to multiply. These are calming works teeming with staggering, quiet depth. And Shuo appears eager to remind us every of these introspective moments inside ourselves and with our family members.
TANG SHUO (b. 1987, Guilin, China) at present lives and works in London, UK. The Narrators is on view at BEERS London by July 13, 2024