The Mountain Algorithms
Curated by Esther Lu (Taiwan) and Carolina Castro Jorquera (Chile)
17 August - 24 November 2024
KMFA Gallery 104-105
Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
Artists : Fernanda Barreto, Tania Candiani, Patricia Domínguez, Huang Ding Yun, Rngrang Hungul, Ya-Chu Kang, Chitti Kasemkitvatana, Nicole L’Huillier, lololol, Luo Jr-Shin, Rice Brewing Sisters Club, Oscar Santillán, Angela Su, Su Yu Hsin, Henry Tan, Constanza Alarcón Tennen, Wang Yung-An, Jason Wee and Wu Chi-Yu
The Mountain Algorithms unfolds the physical dimensions of time and geography, juxtaposing the wisdom of nature with artificial intelligence to create several compasses for understanding future ecological thinking and practices. The exhibition endeavors to redefine “ecological art" by examining how we can enhance and expand our sensory awareness, create organic processes and cooperative uses between natural and artificial technologies, and place greater emphasis on spiritual and cultural ecological thinking.
It also explores learning different rhythms and metabolic schemes, building ecological communities, cycles, and relationships, and how art can navigate the complex, unstable, and seemingly disintegrating network relationships to transform ecology into an alliance, a culture, and a force. Artists from Asia and Latin America propose various methodologies that lean towards ecofeminism—questioning the multiple domination of nature by anthropocentrism and capitalism. This deliberate sampling allows us to consciously reflect on the historical processes and environmental changes from various uneven decolonization contexts, presenting plural and diverse worldviews.
Curated by Esther Lu (Taiwan) and Carolina Castro Jorquera (Chile)
17 August - 24 November 2024
KMFA Gallery 104-105
Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
Artists : Fernanda Barreto, Tania Candiani, Patricia Domínguez, Huang Ding Yun, Rngrang Hungul, Ya-Chu Kang, Chitti Kasemkitvatana, Nicole L’Huillier, lololol, Luo Jr-Shin, Rice Brewing Sisters Club, Oscar Santillán, Angela Su, Su Yu Hsin, Henry Tan, Constanza Alarcón Tennen, Wang Yung-An, Jason Wee and Wu Chi-Yu
The Mountain Algorithms unfolds the physical dimensions of time and geography, juxtaposing the wisdom of nature with artificial intelligence to create several compasses for understanding future ecological thinking and practices. The exhibition endeavors to redefine “ecological art" by examining how we can enhance and expand our sensory awareness, create organic processes and cooperative uses between natural and artificial technologies, and place greater emphasis on spiritual and cultural ecological thinking.
It also explores learning different rhythms and metabolic schemes, building ecological communities, cycles, and relationships, and how art can navigate the complex, unstable, and seemingly disintegrating network relationships to transform ecology into an alliance, a culture, and a force. Artists from Asia and Latin America propose various methodologies that lean towards ecofeminism—questioning the multiple domination of nature by anthropocentrism and capitalism. This deliberate sampling allows us to consciously reflect on the historical processes and environmental changes from various uneven decolonization contexts, presenting plural and diverse worldviews.
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Installation view by Shih-tung Lo (left) and Chi-Yu Wu (right)
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Kala Ensemble
2024
Multimedia installation with 2 channels video, bamboo ‘tung’ sculpture and wall text “The universe is not locally real” in Chinese, English and Thai
Dimension variable
IG : kala.ensemble
“Driven by an enduring curiosity about the nature of space, time, and matter in the universe, the artist explores these questions through the lenses of philosophy, Buddhism, astronomy, and physics, responding with a fluid artistic language over the years. The video images depict various ancient deities of time from different civilizations in northern Thailand, India, China, and Tibet, symbolizing the cyclical nature of time through a process of particle transformation. Traditional bamboo sculptures from the highlands of northern Thailand represent spatial forms. Meanwhile, recent breakthroughs in quantum physics are conveyed textually, illustrating that matter lacks specific properties until observed. This multimedia installation elegantly presents a unique perspective on spacetimemattering observation, suggesting the appearance of the observable universe to us at our situated moment.” - Esther Lu
2024
Multimedia installation with 2 channels video, bamboo ‘tung’ sculpture and wall text “The universe is not locally real” in Chinese, English and Thai
Dimension variable
IG : kala.ensemble
“Driven by an enduring curiosity about the nature of space, time, and matter in the universe, the artist explores these questions through the lenses of philosophy, Buddhism, astronomy, and physics, responding with a fluid artistic language over the years. The video images depict various ancient deities of time from different civilizations in northern Thailand, India, China, and Tibet, symbolizing the cyclical nature of time through a process of particle transformation. Traditional bamboo sculptures from the highlands of northern Thailand represent spatial forms. Meanwhile, recent breakthroughs in quantum physics are conveyed textually, illustrating that matter lacks specific properties until observed. This multimedia installation elegantly presents a unique perspective on spacetimemattering observation, suggesting the appearance of the observable universe to us at our situated moment.” - Esther Lu
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A Mountain : Analogy of Time
Text : English translation of Pabbatasutta by Bhikkhu Sujato on suttacentral.net |
At Sāvatthī. Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and asked him, “Sir, how long is an eon (kalpa)?” “Mendicant, an eon is long. It’s not easy to calculate how many years, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of years it lasts.” “But sir, is it possible to give a simile?” “It’s possible,” said the Buddha. “Suppose there was a huge stone mountain, a league long, a league wide, and a league high, with no cracks or holes, one solid mass. And as each century passed someone would stroke it with a fine cloth from Kāsi (Varanasi/Banarasi silk). By this means the huge stone mountain would be worn away before the eon comes to an end. That’s how long an eon is. And we’ve transmigrated through many such eons, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands. Why is that? Transmigration has no known beginning. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.” |
Credits
The video work is developed from Kala Ensemble, commissioned by Thailand Biennale Chiang Rai, 2023.
Kala Face animation (left screen) presents images of various versions of the Kala Face (Kirtimukha) from different periods and styles, starting with: 1) Early Lanna Style, Kala Face of Chiang Saen’s Wat Pa Sak Temple 2) Haripunjaya style 3) Sukhothai style 4) Ancient Indian style, Kirtimukha from Deverani temple in Dahshina Kosala region in the past, Chattisgarhi state in the present 5) Bamiyan style, Afghanistan, 6) Nalanda style, India 7) Ancient Indian style, represented by the Kirtimukha carved upon stone pillar at Bodhgaya, Bihar 8) Chinese style, Taotie and 9) Tibetan-Nepalese style in form of Mahākāla.
Animation of the observable universe (right screen) is developed from an image originally submitted to NASA by Pablo Carlos Budassi. Chitti Kasemkitvatana has it made into animation with additional elements.
Animation of analogy of time as mountain (right screen) derives from Pabbatasutta : A Mountain from Tripitaka. (Buddhist sacred scriptures)
The Universe Is Not Locally Real is the heading of the 2022 Physics Nobel Prize Winners report on www.scientificamerican.com. The Thai translation is taken from Sophia Publishing.
Bamboo sculpture is produced by a local artisan and a spirit medium in Chiang Saen, derived from a ‘tung’ design of highland culture in Chiang Rai province of Thailand.
Production
Point-cloud animation : ddmy studio
Bamboo sculpture : Bhirawut Mudmai
Wall text graphics : Natthorn Tansurat
The production of this project is kindly supported by Gallery VER.
Special Thanks
Jirat Ratthawongjirakul
Time Chotivilaivanit
Phatarawadee Phataranawik
The video work is developed from Kala Ensemble, commissioned by Thailand Biennale Chiang Rai, 2023.
Kala Face animation (left screen) presents images of various versions of the Kala Face (Kirtimukha) from different periods and styles, starting with: 1) Early Lanna Style, Kala Face of Chiang Saen’s Wat Pa Sak Temple 2) Haripunjaya style 3) Sukhothai style 4) Ancient Indian style, Kirtimukha from Deverani temple in Dahshina Kosala region in the past, Chattisgarhi state in the present 5) Bamiyan style, Afghanistan, 6) Nalanda style, India 7) Ancient Indian style, represented by the Kirtimukha carved upon stone pillar at Bodhgaya, Bihar 8) Chinese style, Taotie and 9) Tibetan-Nepalese style in form of Mahākāla.
Animation of the observable universe (right screen) is developed from an image originally submitted to NASA by Pablo Carlos Budassi. Chitti Kasemkitvatana has it made into animation with additional elements.
Animation of analogy of time as mountain (right screen) derives from Pabbatasutta : A Mountain from Tripitaka. (Buddhist sacred scriptures)
The Universe Is Not Locally Real is the heading of the 2022 Physics Nobel Prize Winners report on www.scientificamerican.com. The Thai translation is taken from Sophia Publishing.
Bamboo sculpture is produced by a local artisan and a spirit medium in Chiang Saen, derived from a ‘tung’ design of highland culture in Chiang Rai province of Thailand.
Production
Point-cloud animation : ddmy studio
Bamboo sculpture : Bhirawut Mudmai
Wall text graphics : Natthorn Tansurat
The production of this project is kindly supported by Gallery VER.
Special Thanks
Jirat Ratthawongjirakul
Time Chotivilaivanit
Phatarawadee Phataranawik