"Thirty-Six Beauty Schemes" (三十六美人计)
"Thirty-Six Beauty Schemes" by island6 Art Collective (Liu Dao)
// BLURB //
Is beauty a weapon in disguise? Depends who you ask. According to an ancient Chinese text known as "The Thirty-Six Stratagems" (三十六计), beauty has been wielded as a powerful tool of influence, persuasion, and control. In this sense, beauty transcends mere aesthetics, becoming a strategic asset—a form of soft power that, when wielded with intention, can achieve what brute force or logic cannot. It operates in the realm of subtlety and nuance, where the impact of a glance, a smile, or a graceful movement can be as decisive as any weapon forged from steel.
In the delicate dance of strategy, few moves are as subtle and beguiling as “The Stratagem of the Beautiful Woman” (美人计). This tactic whispers of power hidden behind a smile, of intentions veiled beneath a glance. Beauty, in its purest form, becomes a silent force that disarms, distracts, and destabilizes without ever raising a blade. Where the heart is led astray, and the mind follows willingly, swaying like a swing caught in the breeze of desire. Back and forth it moves, lulling the senses, each arc drawing one deeper into the seductive rhythm of uncertainty. In the shadowy corners of strategy, where the line between truth and illusion blurs, the presence of beauty becomes a masterstroke, turning the tides of fate with nothing more than a flutter of lashes.
STATUS
SOLD. Private collection, London.
EDITION, MEDIA, SIZE & WEIGHT
Unique Edition, Shanghai 2024
RGB LED display, Chinese ink on Vietnamese linen embedded in hand cast resin, teakwood frame
102(W)×102(H)×5.5(D) cm // 36.4 kg
CRATE SIZE & WEIGHT
117(W)×117(H)×20(D) cm // 68 kg
EXPOSURE
Cyberfeminity” at island6 Shanghai
CREDITS
Nicky (performance) • Shengqiu Li 李生秋 (calligraphy) • Helen Chen 陈韵涵 (art direction) • Thomas Charvériat (art direction) • Yeung Sin Ching 杨倩菁 (production supervisor) • Tiara Alvarado-Leon (blurb)
CLOSE-UPS
VIDEO
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