CHEN WEI studio​

Orientation of houses determined partly by sun, partly by wind - Boys Primary School 建筑物的方向，部分由太阳决定，部分由风决定 - 男子小学，2023，On-site installation 在地搭建，200 x 120 x 40 cm；Ghost 幽灵 ，2023，Ceramic 陶瓷，30 x 30 x 55 cm

WILD FRUIT


Originated from the deep introspection of the physical limitations of the body during the two years of stagnation due to the epidemic, "Wild Fruit" adopts the "What is it that gives shape to our physical bodies" as the starting point, which is a self-consciousness and reflection on the living situation of individual experience with three groups of works as follows.


Architectural sculpture: Orientation of houses determined partly by sun, partly by wind
Keywords: Metaphor, archetype of architecture.
Orientation of houses determined partly by sun, partly by wind, a statement made by the Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy in his book "Architecture for the Poor". The architectural sculpture is also my further presentation The Study of the New Gourna Village in 2017. For me, the metaphorical qualities of New Gourna may resonate with the current situation. The architectural space bears a unique metaphysical significance, that is, its ontogenetic relevance to the root of human existence (the body). During the construction, it also depicts in a spiritual way. The works will incorporate elements of public architecture, natural landscape, architectural texture, and musical features of New Gourna Village.


Ceramic Vessel: Ghost
Keywords: Ghosting, constructed body.
Stemmed from the performance fragment of the second act in the performance video "The White Cow": "Sorge", Ghost is a reflection on the philosophical concept mentioned by Heidegger. This in as a kind of existence in the world with three basic characteristics: Existence, reality, and sinking. The performer bends over, lands on three limbs, and spins around touching the ground. In conceiving this performance, I related it to the ancient form of a three-legged vessel. The living body is a vessel with a life force or a spirit, which is also subjected to social, political, and cultural constructs, like a ghosting, reshaping and solidifying item. The body, on the other hand, returns to the univocity and transparency of human history.


Performance Video: The Man in the Tree
Keywords: Mirror; landscape of gestures
The Man in the Trees is a literary image in the novel The Baron in the Trees by Italian writer Italo Calvino. As the author says: "… anyone who wants to see the earth properly must keep himself at a necessary distance from it", although living in a space of existence (the tree) that is detached from the mundane world, he will be awake to observe the existence of the group. The work will mainly consist of two parts of performance videos: The performance in front of the green screen and that in the trees. By referring to body gestures in situations such as daily life, virtual world, violent conflicts, and mythical legend, it highlights the abstract gestures landscapes to form a mirror image with the present world.


"Wild Fruit" continues and deepens the concerns in my past projects, e.g., architecture, vessel, gesture, as well as the integration and dispatch of polyphonic structures in multiple media. It further explores the literary and musical spatial narratives in the thematic compositions. The three sets of works interpenetrate (both internal and external) may provide an open discursive field that brings the viewer back to the project concept by reflecting on and facing their own existential situation in a sober and thorough manner.








Manuscripts of Wild Fruit 野果项目创作手稿，2022

野果


野果，源自在因疫情停滞的两年时间，身体被物理限制的深度自省。以“是什么塑造我们当下的身体”为思考点，所展开的个体经验的生存境况的自觉与思辨，将包含以下三组作品。


建筑雕塑：建筑物的方向，部分由太阳决定，部分由风决定

关键词：隐喻、建筑的原型

建筑物的方向，部分由太阳决定，部分由风决定，是埃及建筑师哈桑·法蒂在其著作《给穷人的建筑》中的一段描述。该建筑雕塑也是我于2017年开始的建筑项目《关于高纳新村的研究》的进一步呈现，其隐喻性的特质与当下的境况形成共振。空间独特的形而上学意义，即它在本源上的与人的存在根基（身体）的相关性，我们在构建它的同时，它也在灵性地建构着我们。建筑雕塑将融合高纳新村的公共建筑、自然景观、建筑肌理、音感特征等元素。


陶瓷器皿：幽灵

关键词：叠影、建构的身体

幽灵，源自行为影像《白色的牛》中的第二幕表演片段：“烦(Sorge)”，是关于海德格尔所提到的哲学概念的思考：此在作为一种在世界之中的存在的三种基本特征：生存性、实在性、沉沦性。表演者弯腰，三肢着地，触地旋转。在构思这段表演时，我将其关联至远古的三足器皿造型。鲜活的身体被视作器皿，充满生命的活力和能量，同时受制于社会、政治和文化的建构，如叠影般，重塑、固化。身体，则回归至历史的单义性和透明性。


姿势影像：树上的人

关键词：镜像、姿势的景观

树上的人，是意大利作家卡尔维诺的小说《树上的男爵》中的文学形象。如作者所言“谁想看清尘世就应当同它保持必要的距离”，虽然生活在一个脱离俗世的生存空间（树上），却更加清醒地观察着群体的生存环境。将主要由两部分姿势影像组成：在绿布前的姿势，在树上的姿势。通过参考日常生活、虚拟世界、暴力冲突、神话传说等情境下的身体姿势，凝结出抽象的姿势景观，与当下形成镜像。


野果，延续并深化了我过往创作中的关注点：建筑、器皿、姿势等，以及对多种媒介复调结构的整合与调度，并进一步探索在主题式的创作中，文学性与音乐性的空间叙事。三组作品相互渗透（既渗透到他物，也被他物渗透），提供一个敞开的、思辨的场域，将观众回归至项目概念“野果”的省思，清醒地、透彻地，面对自身所处的生存处境。