"Mid-mist Rime" (冰羽晶莹)
// BLURB //
Centuries ago, a hopeless young man was considering giving up on life after losing everything. He walked to the riverside only to find Laozi 老子 sitting on a rock, quietly observing the flow of water. After the young man shared his story, Laozi smiled and took him back to his house. He took out a big chunk of ice and told the young man, “Try to break it.” Confused but with nothing to lose, he followed Laozi’s instructions. He tried using sharp tools like a knife and ax, but he was unable to break into the ice. Laozi silently watched the hopeless man trying over and over again, until finally putting the ice in a heating wok. The ice began melting, slowly. Laozi explained, “What I have shown you are some qualities one should try to achieve in life.” First, water can freeze into ice. The colder and harsher the environment, the more water reflects the characteristics of steel. Setbacks evoke courage. Secondly, water does not abandon small streams and rivers no matter their origins and conditions. It accepts all with an open mind and purifies everything. It shows great tolerance. Lastly, water appears to be weak and powerless. But drippings of water wear through the rock (水滴石穿), the softness can overcome the rigidity over time. This is a widely-spread Chinese tale to explain one of the core theories of the “Tao Te Ching'': the highest virtue and kindness in a human being is to be water (上善若水). In Chinese philosophy, nature contains all the answers and inspires us all. When you see a peculiar deep-blue flowy pattern on an antique vase, look intently and focus on the mid-mist rimes. They might just reveal the wisdom of the ancients.
Centuries ago, a hopeless young man was considering giving up on life after losing everything. He walked to the riverside only to find Laozi 老子 sitting on a rock, quietly observing the flow of water. After the young man shared his story, Laozi smiled and took him back to his house. He took out a big chunk of ice and told the young man, “Try to break it.” Confused but with nothing to lose, he followed Laozi’s instructions. He tried using sharp tools like a knife and ax, but he was unable to break into the ice. Laozi silently watched the hopeless man trying over and over again, until finally putting the ice in a heating wok. The ice began melting, slowly. Laozi explained, “What I have shown you are some qualities one should try to achieve in life.” First, water can freeze into ice. The colder and harsher the environment, the more water reflects the characteristics of steel. Setbacks evoke courage. Secondly, water does not abandon small streams and rivers no matter their origins and conditions. It accepts all with an open mind and purifies everything. It shows great tolerance. Lastly, water appears to be weak and powerless. But drippings of water wear through the rock (水滴石穿), the softness can overcome the rigidity over time. This is a widely-spread Chinese tale to explain one of the core theories of the “Tao Te Ching'': the highest virtue and kindness in a human being is to be water (上善若水). In Chinese philosophy, nature contains all the answers and inspires us all. When you see a peculiar deep-blue flowy pattern on an antique vase, look intently and focus on the mid-mist rimes. They might just reveal the wisdom of the ancients.
EDITION, MEDIA, SIZE & WEIGHT
Unique Edition, Shanghai 2022
RGB LED display, acrylic painting on Plexiglass, Vietnamese linen embedded in hand cast resin, black-stained teakwood frame
51(W)×51(H)×5.5(D) cm // 9.63 kg
TECH SPECS
• 1×SLC SD Card
• 4×MWLPV20-5 (INPUT 100~240VAC@0.55A / OUTPUT 5V@3A)
• (3+1 spare)×RGB P4 1921-8S-HL3.0 / P4SWD220221-141T/1A/200-A1
CRATE SIZE & WEIGHT
66(W)×66(H)×21(D) cm //22.6 kg
EXPOSURE
“Welcome To The Neighborhood” at island6 Shanghai
CREDITS
Wang Chuanwen 王传文 (painting) • Camilla Zhao 赵莹 (blurb & performance) • Yeung Sin Ching 杨倩菁 (production supervisor) • Thomas Charvériat (art direction & animation) • Tiara Alvarado-Leon (blurb revision)
Unique Edition, Shanghai 2022
RGB LED display, acrylic painting on Plexiglass, Vietnamese linen embedded in hand cast resin, black-stained teakwood frame
51(W)×51(H)×5.5(D) cm // 9.63 kg
TECH SPECS
• 1×SLC SD Card
• 4×MWLPV20-5 (INPUT 100~240VAC@0.55A / OUTPUT 5V@3A)
• (3+1 spare)×RGB P4 1921-8S-HL3.0 / P4SWD220221-141T/1A/200-A1
CRATE SIZE & WEIGHT
66(W)×66(H)×21(D) cm //22.6 kg
EXPOSURE
“Welcome To The Neighborhood” at island6 Shanghai
CREDITS
Wang Chuanwen 王传文 (painting) • Camilla Zhao 赵莹 (blurb & performance) • Yeung Sin Ching 杨倩菁 (production supervisor) • Thomas Charvériat (art direction & animation) • Tiara Alvarado-Leon (blurb revision)
CLOSE-UPS
VIDEO