Floating

Artist list

Attai Chen, Li Liang, Qu Wanni, Jie Sun, YangZiYi, Yin Xiangkun

Ubi Gallery during Beijing Design Week 2013

To celebrate Amsterdam as Guest City of BJDW13, the Dutch founder and curator of Ubi Gallery – Machtelt Schelling, presents the exhibition Floating.

Water is one of the most distinctive elements of the Dutch landscape, which influenced its population in so many ways. It transformed Amsterdam into what it looks like today; built around canals. Through navigating the seas, the Netherlands were also able to bring oriental goods from China to The Netherlands. This laid a solid foundation for a long lasting relation of trade and cultural exchange between these two countries.

Ubi Gallery selected 8 artists whose work is related in a way to the theme of water and sea life. This exhibition shows bracelets made of sand, an installation of ceramic fishing floats, gold leafed anchovy fishes, floating silicon parasites and more.

At first sight the underwater world of YangZiYi looks like a stereotypical beautiful fairy tale of the unseen. But a second glance arouses less comfortable thoughts and associations of parasites.

Qu Wanni grew up in a Chinese coastal city and she is deeply inspired by the beach. The sun coats the sand, the sand rubs the stones, the mighty waves transform shapes of objects. The coastal shores teach you about time, growth, patience, spirit and existence. Her jewellery brings you back to this fresh state of mind.

Liang Li uses porcelain to create her unique jewellery pieces, which are clearly inspired by the natural beauty of shells and coral. She calls for meditation and care for your surroundings, where she find herself at home at the traditional Chinese Buddhist principles.

The fishes of Yin Xiangkun merge into their surrounding. They become boats, sailors, mechanical constructions and more. An installation of different fishes reflects on a world of thoughts about the relation of men to the sea and its inhabitants.

It is different for the brooch Big Fish, a small sculpture which is almost a portrait, created by Sun Jie, a Chinese  jewellery artist who lives and works in Amsterdam. His fishes are dynamic, full of energy, elegant – elegantly dancing in the water where they try do hide and be visible at the same time while finding their own spot in the busy school of fish.

Attai Chen dryed anchovy fish, goldleafed them and put this delicate piece on a pin. His work triggers thoughts as ‘what is the relation between food and art for you?’ This work is called Fish a Wish and it is beautiful and uncanny at the same time.