“Offline” Mentality 1：
Modern art, in collision with the thinking of traditional Chinese civil weaving crafts, may well to “sever longitude and latitude”, or, as a minimum, build on the mindset of “severing longitude and latitude”. Sure, it takes a long time in the setting of modern ages for “severing longitude and latitude” by repeated breakdown, discard, reconstruction and re-adoption, in aiming to change and subversion. From the approach of “Theory of Evolution”, we should select an art form of clear manifest of coexistent tradition and modernity, to do this, we need to fearlessly “sever longitude and latitude”, and lead traditional Chinese handicrafts to a “no longitude or latitude” state. The details, so broken down, find respective realistic carriers like daunting souls for renascence that is a headstream of spatial construction. By “disengaging from longitude and latitude”, we can construct a modern three-dimensional spatial system in the thinking of “no longitude or latitude”.
The spatial system constructed from foregoing concept will, unexceptionally, be subject to limited release and subversion. Such “limit” determines “rhythm” and “texture” in the space, and more unique disposition of such modern three-dimensional spatial system. Therefore, “going back to civil”, which seems as a concept of philosophical inconsistency that is opposite to “severing longitude and latitude”, but which represents traditional space of “rhythm” and “texture”, must return to the origin of space construction of this show, for which is a clear proof of inherent composition and law of space. Artworks of eight artists are separately put in independent spatial units; each unit is controlled by the particularity of their author and forms a particular “space spirit”, so that they’re not interfered with each other. The very high exhibition space, longitudes and latitudes in separate planes in apparent disorder, freely enclose eight art yards, this kind of free form is of utmost importance, and all yards are interconnected and traversed with various doors and holes. Visitors passing through these doors may take a view among these yards, which is one of the rhythm controls in traditional civil three-dimensional space in China, as well as the highlight of traditional China spatial system. Along their route of sightseeing movement, visitors can appreciate various landscapes. After experience of an artist’s work, they’re naturally empathetic to the work of another artist, thus no guided flow of visitors is necessary, nor they’re confused about their path, all is nothing but logic and natural in order. This kind of appreciation precisely controls the mental state of visitors in traveling among an artistic garden while going back to their emotion of yard lifestyle. Let’s talk about “texture”, we turn to express traditional Chinese spatial texture with fine bamboo shutters, which are made of material frequently seen in modern times in tea ceremony and tea feast. Exquisitely weaved, the bamboo shutters are so amazing that they subtly set off with the artistic fineness. This material, I believe, is so familiar to all Chinese, “bamboo shutters”, “offline” exhibition and “weaving works”, this theme and visitors’ mood, all resonate at one time, without giving unnecessary details and explanation, the temperament of this material is more expressible than any words in the world. Actually, this three-dimensional spatial system by itself tells a wordless story about the spark of “weaving” handicraft in collision with modern art, only in a different sense of feeling in our heart.
“Offline” Mentality 2:
We’re living a world “without longitude and latitude” from natural environment to social ideology and from intangibles to tangibles. No any order and state for taking it for grant of existence, regardless at home or in the way home, in the city or in remote area. People live as a creature, both the rich and the poor complain about these diverse dissatisfactions of their own. Are we living a meaningful life, or be live for a life? We’re confused and in disorder. We marry, and we divorce, everybody transforms our thought between “online” and “offline” at every moment, every time in every day, but how long do we suppose it is passed in the heaven? Where is the order in terms of “longitude and latitude? “Without longitude and latitude”, everything begins from none and originates from being. Why are we in vanity in modern times? All is thusness, as if all of us are indignant and Bohemian to be part of the pure land before we re dead; “Without longitude and latitude”, we’ve already “severed longitude and latitude” ourselves, our life and the society, quietly. Looking afar, there’re mountains, rivers, fields, villages, streets and faces, but where are them? And where are more of them? We all know life is finite in length, but why are we seeking for infiniteness without limit? Living in this world and the society, what is the relation of “longitude and latitude” between us? What is it? More books are sold, but how many of us read them? The tea price is higher, but how many of us sip it in a more peaceful and sober mind? It’s much easier to communicate with our relatives, but how much fidelity is accompanied with us? Does the relation of “longitude and latitude” exist in our world? If yes, where can we find it? At now? Or in the future? Is it “online”? Or is it “offline”?
