The Closer Gallery, in Beijing, presented its first spring show of 2022, ‘O’FLOW, by Hong Kong artist Jun Jin Wu from 16th April to 04th May.
Most exhibits tailor-made for the show seems static, but with the physical interactions—wearing, playing, and even performing, the dynamic effects are unexpectedly triggered due to the deep concern from the artist towards the space-oriented interlocking architectures. A flowing rhythm founded by those dynamics, therefore, hit the imagination of either spectators or wearers. An essay stated by Dr. Si Qing Yao, curator of the exhibition, points to the fact that many of Jun Jin’s works are accessibly formed by circular shapes, interlocked or interdependent, with a set of restrained, concise, and unadorned elements. “A well-selected archetypal form and its informed theories reveal the concentrations of her research, in which her subconscious-driven intention leads her to find a universal starting point [that goes] beyond the boundaries of different languages, cultures, and regions, to approach the maximized empathy through perceptions… When the concentric-ring-shaped pieces move around through the body, it provokes more concrete and sensory experiences, we could then vaguely hear the incredible sounds [caused by the interaction of] chalcedony and metal, sterling silver for instance, to arouse sorts of cultural remembrances—a polished jade is always worn by a [proper] gentleman (‘君子佩玉’ in Chinese), which is an ancient view rooted in the classy culture of Chinese Confucianism. ”
Ms. Liang Xiao, the founder of The Closer Gallery, says that the ring or the hole is the essence of jewelry. Generally, each piece of jewelry has a ring or a hole. The bangle, the necklace, and the chain evolve [from] rings; the brooch must be pierced to connect with something else at a functional level. Jun Jin sensitively regards the ring as the theme of the project, which highly emphasis that the ‘O’ is a universal image of the basic shape, in the way the individual expression of the ideas of the specific connection is reasonably possible.
From the artist’s perspective, as an interest-led writer and translator, thinking of how to translate the notion of “ring” into Chinese has always been an issue in her mind. In western culture, the ring is basically equivalent to the circle, which refers to hollow “rings” or “circles” with a wide scope. [But in] eastern culture, it is identified as a signifier that aims to discipline the behavior of the human body and to ornament the human finger only. This is not only about moral constraints, but also about religious discipline. It is fundamentally related to the idea of the Zen finger and the concept of a commandment in Buddhism, the Yama (a Sanskrit word which means control, restraint, and discipline) Ring—in Indian culture it is especially so. To taste the differences and the sameness of the two cultures, finding the extraordinary inside the ordinary, exploring the non-concrete functions with the concrete pieces, is becoming a subtle yet profound study.