Yuen-yi’s work begins with a pencil drawing. She paints the object, molds, frames it; she assembles, mends, dissembles and even burns up the object. In her hands, the materials are manifested in various ways. These used ordinary objects with accumulated time-worn traces, like gloves, shoes, handkerchiefs, glasses, dishes, glasses, stibium pots, suitcases, keys, lemons, shells, etc. – be they hers, her parents’ or friends’, or even leftovers from somewhere – all can become raw works for Yuen-yi to work on.

These fragmental old objects have been collected over the years by Yuen-yi. She sorts them out, re-creates, transforms their original appearance, giving them another visual life. With her craftsmanship, she creates her own universe in a world of hers that is so small yet so big, indeed a realm above time and space. She remains there, living her monotone, simple life, indulging in creation and thoughts, letting her soul stir, in a calm yet thrilling state of mind.

The works of this exhibition are displayed by series, as they were creations produced spanning a period. The artist would not necessarily start a single new series after completing one, but rather, she would create several series simultaneously, leaving some uncompleted, or stopping for a while before re-touching them. This approach makes the works look complete yet never ending at the same time. These seemingly useless and trivial objects are Yuen-yi's own private realm; "they are short-lived, transient, but they contain memories that can be savored again and again."

Suiting the two distinctive exhibition spaces (‘At Light’ and ‘Universal’), the series of exhibits are arranged in order and sequence, in flexible quantity, in big and small sizes.  Visitors walk amid the works placed on all four walls[s1]  and also on the floor, which carry fragments of many a piece of memories. "chores: the transience & its immensity" is the title of this exhibition, one that is trivial, without a specific theme. On scattered topics, the exhibition is like a roaming journey, yet pure and quiet. For Yuen-yi, life repeats itself day after day, but creation never ceases, with its ripples flowing in the heart. In such a way, she doodles and assembles, recording the transience, extending it into immensity.

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Cora Si

Curator