MOUMOU is pleased to present the latest solo exhibition by artist Yuchu Gao, "Her Sea, Her Land". The exhibition focuses on the "Sea Woman series", which is part of the artist's ongoing practice and research of portraits, as well as the exploration of the language of charcoal drawing on tracing paper and its spatial presentation.
Portraits have never been absent from history; watching these imageries from different centuries allows one to grasp the spirit of a specific era. This has led me to think about what defines the spirit of our own age and how it should be portrayed. Throughout my practice, I progressively developed two main focuses, one inspired by ancient portraits, and the other on contemporary ones. They are not thematically separated but rather in dialogue with one another. During the practices, I continually engage in study and research, drawing inspiration from archaeology, literature, news articles, and everyday observations. It enables me to comprehend the subject matter at a deeper level and even expand on my imagination, for instance, in the "Sea Woman series"and my graduation show"Bearing Capacity" —the form is highly influenced by the Great Mother Goddess and the topic is based on the interest of women's roles within the societal framework. These works are centred on women, emphasising their crucial role and challenging the long-standing, male-dominated historical narratives.
The exhibition"Her Sea, Her Land"is inspired by current research on East Asian sea women, particularly the semi-matriarchal status of Korean sea women, as well as Gilman's 1915 utopian novel "Herland,"which depicts a nation consisting exclusively of females. The"Sea Woman series"starts from early 2023, and during this time, various experiments have been conducted within this framework, with the aim of maintaining a state of flux in the body of work. This exhibition focuses more on the combination and arrangement of individual pieces."Sea Woman Series"is always a work of group portraits. Rather than creating an actual group portrait on a single surface, this time it involves breaking down the group from the drawing, reassembling each piece in physical space using semi-transparent materials, inviting visitors to enter and move around them.
Charcoal appears frequently in my work; I appreciate that the medium has a long history that dates back to antiquity, which reflects the subjects I am currently exploring. Moreover, charcoal as a common material reduces the complexity of media. I sometimes deliberately minimise the use of materials, holding the conviction that the content and message of the work should transcend material complexities and dependencies, allowing the idea to stand free from its physical form. Drawing is a means of conveying ideas in this exhibition, and the mediums of charcoal, pastel, and pencil allow ideas to be easily transmitted between finished drawings and sketches. Whether it’s a finished drawing or a sketch-like work, both are equally valuable in this presentation. The semi-transparent character of tracing paper brings the possibility of "Sea Woman Series" standing in the space and being around by the viewers. The material might look fragile and light but is actually full of resilience, with the structure built with metal chains together form a kind of contrast between the heavy and the light.
I feel that I am borrowing the imagery of sea women to express what I want to convey—to see females as a community rather than as props or gimmicks in an art show. There should be diversity in female characters, both in terms of their appearance to the spiritual realm. They are the ancestors, elders, mothers, sisters, dear friends, and children. I feel that I am one of them.
奖项
2024 代尔门霍斯特全国毕业生艺术奖提名
2022 汉堡艺术阿托纳艺术节提名
2020 慕尼黑艺术学院 外国人奖学金
个展
2025 Nir Alteman 画廊，慕尼黑，德国
2024 她海，她国，某某空间，北京，中国
极限承重，慕尼黑美院毕业展，慕尼黑，德国
2023 白银潮汐，老虎空间，慕尼黑，德国（双个展）
奇形人间，清影艺术空间，杭州，中国
北京市朝阳区酒仙桥路2号798艺术区北门
红石广场3楼（吉祥唐卡楼上）
3F，Hongshi Square ，798 Art Zone,
Chaoyang District, Beijing
联系我们 Contact Us
Tel/Vx：18210018614
E-mail：moumouzhang2020@163.com
