FLUTTER 虫飞薨薨
FLUTTER 虫飞薨薨 is an animated triptych of unfolding large-scale portraits, originally created as a three-channel projection installation. The figures in FLUTTER 虫飞薨薨 experience shifting streams of mixed emotions in ambiguous states of being. At once fragile and vigorous, the living creatures in this work are all subject to the inevitability of change. The title references a stanza from the ancient poetry anthology Book of Songs: 虫飞薨薨，甘与子同梦. Translation: Insects sound like the fluttering of wings, I want to fall into a dream with you.
Installed as a large-scale projection, the work evokes monumentality through the scale and fluidity of the figures' motions. Seeing the installation from afar is akin to approaching a mysterious temple glowing with light. The towering position of the figures implies power, but their closed eyes suggest they may exist in a different realm from us. As viewers, we are invited into a contemplative space where we can gaze upon these enigmatic beings, examining their bodies and expressions. The closed eyes of the figures, combined with their grand scale, create a tension between presence and absence, power and vulnerability.
The central female character undergoes a profound metamorphosis, morphing from youth to old age as butterflies glide and rest on her body. These insects embellish the figures almost like death masks, enhancing the work's exploration of life and mortality. The butterfly, a symbolic motif of transformation, is also steeped in Chinese ancient allegories of dreaming and souls. This duality compels us to ponder their inner experiences and emotions, as well as the universal themes of change and impermanence they embody. The installation becomes a mirror reflecting our own transient existence, inviting us to dream and introspect alongside these otherworldly entities. The figures' towering yet fragile forms, adorned with the ephemeral beauty of butterflies, evoke a meditative state where viewers confront the fleeting nature of life and the eternal dance of transformation.
This work has been exhibited at West Hollywood Moving Image Media Art at the Netflix Invisible Frame Billboard on Sunset Boulevard, "A Matter of Freedom" STRP Festival 2022 (Netherlands), "Perspective Slip" at New Wight Gallery (USA), Luminex (USA), "Next-GEN LA: Digital Artists to Watch" at Vellum LA (USA), Spectra Studio (USA) and Shanghai University (China).
The STRP Festival edition included both a physical three-channel installation in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and a virtual exhibition with 360-degree interactive immersion and spatial audio.
Select Exhibitions: STRP Festival (Netherlands), New Wight Gallery (USA), WeHo Moving Image Media Art Program (USA), Luminex (USA), Vellum LA (USA), Spectra Studio (USA).
🕷 STRP Edition: Sound by Ivana Dama. Programming by John Brumley.
🕷 Photo Credit: Charles Powers, Hanneke Wetzer.