Wild Dwelling
An exhibition of photographs by Sine Zheng, curated by Averil Curci
on display at the Ashurst Emerging Artist Gallery, 9th November 2020 - 28th March 2021
Wild Dwelling is an ongoing series Sine Zheng began in 2019. Through this project Zheng explores the relationship between humans and nature, revealing a tension between reality and illusion. Her photographs question whether these increasingly extricated elements can exist independently, giving the viewer no straight answers, but rather prompting personal interpretations and reflections.
A particular interest in capturing the complexities of urbanization highlights how removed we have become from nature. Within our steel and concrete jungles, patches of vegetation act as a simulated illusion of the natural world. Zheng cares to make this dysfunctional reality of our ecosystem a cause for concern, thereby raising awareness to our current climate emergency. At the same time the artist encourages the viewer to value every moment and place we are surrounded by.
Zheng’s form of conceptual photography captures and conveys messages through meticulously arranged and staged scenes. Her work is both playful and experimental, taking elements of documentation and staging, re-interpreting them in new ways. By consciously placing elements and arranging compositions, be it chicken eggs, tissue boxes or plastic bags, the artist creates events, environments and emotions for the viewer to contemplate.
Zheng’s recent photographs feature lone trees encountered in the desert. The artist conceived an unusual and fascinating darkroom-based process that involves exposing the negatives though blocks of ice that are placed on the photographic paper. The gradual melting produces distinctive marks on the final image, which not only act as a record of time but also as a powerful tool to express the complex ecological issues around water. In many ways Zheng is connected to the Eco-art movement, her practice clearly channeling the creativity and power of art to inspire climate change action.
A particular interest in capturing the complexities of urbanization highlights how removed we have become from nature. Within our steel and concrete jungles, patches of vegetation act as a simulated illusion of the natural world. Zheng cares to make this dysfunctional reality of our ecosystem a cause for concern, thereby raising awareness to our current climate emergency. At the same time the artist encourages the viewer to value every moment and place we are surrounded by.
Zheng’s form of conceptual photography captures and conveys messages through meticulously arranged and staged scenes. Her work is both playful and experimental, taking elements of documentation and staging, re-interpreting them in new ways. By consciously placing elements and arranging compositions, be it chicken eggs, tissue boxes or plastic bags, the artist creates events, environments and emotions for the viewer to contemplate.
Zheng’s recent photographs feature lone trees encountered in the desert. The artist conceived an unusual and fascinating darkroom-based process that involves exposing the negatives though blocks of ice that are placed on the photographic paper. The gradual melting produces distinctive marks on the final image, which not only act as a record of time but also as a powerful tool to express the complex ecological issues around water. In many ways Zheng is connected to the Eco-art movement, her practice clearly channeling the creativity and power of art to inspire climate change action.
Tree, 2019
62 x 76cm C-type print Edition of 8 + 2 AP |
"By consciously placing elements and arranging compositions, be it chicken eggs, tissue boxes or plastic bags, the artist creates events, environments and emotions for the viewer to contemplate." - excerpt from the catalogue. |
Bathtub, 2020
50 x 61cm C-type Print Edition of 8 + 2 AP |
Window, 2020
50 x 61cm C-type print Edition of 8 + 2 AP |
Melting Land I, 2020
40 x 30cm C-type print Edition of 8 + 2 AP |
Melting Land II, 2020
40 x 30cm C-type print Edition of 8 + 2 AP |
Mirror, 2019
62 x 76cm C-type print Edition of 8 + AP |
Watering, 2020
62 x 76cm C-type print Edition of 8 + 2 AP |
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sine Zheng is a photographer based between London and China. In 2017 she completed her BFA in Fashion Design at Parsons, The New School for Design, New York and in 2020 her MA in Photography at the Royal College of Arts, London. Her works explore the relationship between humans and nature, revealing an undefined tension between reality and illusion.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Averil Curci is currently Head Artist Liaison at Kovet.Art where she researches and scouts emerging talent and maintains relations with artists. With an aim to curate, incubate and uncover the world’s finest emerging talents at the beginning of their careers, Kovet.Art offers a nurturing environment for artists by investing in their talent and helping them make their mark through mentorship programmes and carefully curated exhibitions.
Averil holds a BA in Art History from Boston University, and has 15 of years of experience working within the art world internationally. She began her career in New York as the director of Hamburg Kennedy Art Advisory & Projects. Following this, she became the director of Brancolini Grimaldi, a contemporary photography gallery based in Florence, Rome and eventually Mayfair, London. There she worked closely with both emerging and established artists — curating exhibitions and art fairs, developing special projects, events and publications. Prior to joining Kovet.Art, Averil was a private Art Advisor to international clients, and also mentor to emerging artists, providing creative direction, strategic and commercial advice. Averil has been a judge for the Ashurst Emerging Art Prize since 2018.
Averil holds a BA in Art History from Boston University, and has 15 of years of experience working within the art world internationally. She began her career in New York as the director of Hamburg Kennedy Art Advisory & Projects. Following this, she became the director of Brancolini Grimaldi, a contemporary photography gallery based in Florence, Rome and eventually Mayfair, London. There she worked closely with both emerging and established artists — curating exhibitions and art fairs, developing special projects, events and publications. Prior to joining Kovet.Art, Averil was a private Art Advisor to international clients, and also mentor to emerging artists, providing creative direction, strategic and commercial advice. Averil has been a judge for the Ashurst Emerging Art Prize since 2018.
SEE MORE...
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See more about Sine Zheng's practice in the Shortlist 2020 Uncovered videos on The Art Prize's YouTube channel. Stay tuned to learn more about Sine's exhibition Wild Dwelling also coming to The Art Prize's YouTube channel soon! |