Furen Dai’s practice is embedded in a conceptual attitude, with connections to her interest in the origins of language, categories and systems, as well as the social. Humor has an important role in her way of working. She sees materials as the physical manifestation of an art language to express the idea. At the same time, also likes to think of the idea coming together through the handling of certain materials and working with them. Material, display, lighting, viewer, architecture, text all contribute to the idea.
On the Future Ruin
Work information (up to down)
- 57cm x 43cm, Fresco painting, 2022, 57cm x 43cm
- 3D-rendered video, 2022, work in progress, 6'34''
- Pedestal series, installation shot, 2022
“On the Future Ruin” consists of a 3D-rendered video and several paintings showing museum pedestals as art form. The short science fiction video is set in the near-future and depicts a view of a ruined and abandoned museum, it showcases the site without its value and purpose: the art housed inside. This focus on the "invisible object" infuses Dai’s project with an investigative focus on the aesthetics of the museum itself as they pertain to art history as a whole and the society it serves. The emptiness also brings attention to the museum’s invisible laborers. The project brings to mind a dystopian future, which raises awareness of the current state and discussion around the existence of encyclopedic museums.
