NANZUKA is pleased to present Remember That Time When What, a solo exhibition of new works by Julia Chiang. The exhibition marks Chiang’s third solo presentation with the gallery since her previous show Pump And Bump held in 2019.
Chiang’s new works are worlds in which myriads of forms reminiscent of pistils, droplets, and cells harmoniously coexist with organic planes of color. They seem to depict the patterns of living creatures, and also evoke maps or correlation diagrams illustrating flows of energy. At the same time, they could be regarded as abstract images that serve as metaphorical renditions of life that resides within our bodies. While there appears to be a planned sense of regularity in the works, like waves that come and go, they suggest the unpredictable emotions of life.
This uncertainty within the painting process is an extremely important factor in the context of Chiang’s practice. She imagines “sweating, crying, hot pavement on bare skin, spaces in a wall, being invisible, impossible barriers, holding hands, kissing, bodies on bodies, leaning hard, crossing lines, hot skin, dancing, smiling so much your face hurts, touching the moon, swallowing the sky…” Chiang carefully extracts the inconsequential events in everyday life as well as her own fluctuating emotions, and sublimates them into her works. This process of production that requires high levels of concentration and perseverance, can be seen as a form of meditation that transcends psychological time and space to arrive at the expression of the work.
In this exhibition, Chiang will present a selection of around 15 large and small-scale paintings, along with a dozen or so watercolor works.
