Where infinite space intersects with perfection

Lacquer artist Wang Ya's solo exhibition "Six Tenths" is running through December 22 at Missing Gallery, a combo of an art space during the daytime and mini pub at night.

The title is inspired by the Taoist concept that six, referring to the six directions (up, down, left, right, front and back), means infinite space, while ten in Chinese culture symbolizes perfection. In the world of "six tenths," the infinity of art and handicraft that requires perfection forms a unique existence in the unlimited time and space.

Wang presents 15 sets of her lacquer-related works, including paintings, videos and an interactive performance, all created over the past two years after the breakout of COVID-19.

Visitors are involved in the daily performance to present how the self is bounded in time and space in the process of creation.

The artist has lacquered surfaces of all the tables in the gallery with 10 coatings of different-colored paint, and visitors donning disposable gloves and aprons are invited to polish the surface areas of their choice.

With different hand-polishing movements over time, people will create different patterns, each an inimitable art piece featuring unique textures, traces and color shades.

"It's infinite and random – a topic I'm trying to talk about in this exhibition," Wang said. "Unexpected patterns always occur, from circles and squares to those that have never appeared before. They're like symbols that can't be deciphered, and no one knows whether they will appear again. It's a metaphor for the global pandemic and the daily lives we're living now."

Wang probably implies more in her works that contain many abstract symbols – an artistic language she has created for her artistic expression.

Through her works, she elaborates, as a female artist, on social issues often not talked about in mainstream society, such as sex, violence, injustice and environmental degradation.

As lacquer can't be controlled as precisely as oil paint, lacquer paintings often look like childlike drawings, with thick lines and bold, bright colors. But this reality also gives lacquer paintings a strong visual impact.

Exhibition info

Dates: Through December 22 (closed on Mondays), 2pm-2am

Venue: Missing Gallery

Address: 48 Sinan Road