HOU GUAN-TING Solo Exhibition "Becoming Beasts: Embroidery as Ascetic Practice"
Hou Guan-Ting
Oct 19 - Nov 17, 2024
Hou Guan-Ting's works are adorned with vibrant threads and beads on soft fabric, presenting what seems to be a beautiful representation of living creatures at first glance. However, upon closer inspection, remnants resembling chunks of flesh and feathers spill from the seams of the fabric, vividly imprinted through the pink blood that seeps into the bodies of the plush creatures. This captures the disappearance and sublimation of the lives of animals that have fallen victim to roadkill commonly seen on the streets of Taiwan. As the carcasses decay, the moment of death transforms into eternity, remaining in an immortal form.
Fascinated by this contradictory state, Hou's initial work focused on the rare wildlife species native only to Taiwan, the leopard cat, contrasting the vibrant flow of life in nature with the deaths of creatures caused by human development. For this exhibition, he has created three new soft sculptures modeled after the monsters from the mythological text “The Classic of Mountains and Seas.” (Chinese: Shan Hai Jing) His approach of reflecting on the characteristics of these creatures in relation to his own personality, while confronting his vulnerabilities, prompts deep introspection for the viewer as well.
Hou's creative process is an incredibly meditative act. Without the use of machines, the fabric, threads, and embellishments are all sewn by hand. Some fabrics are dyed, and they can inadvertently become stained red from sweat and blood during the creation process. This process serves as a means of restoring bodies to the deceased animals while paying respect to them, simultaneously blurring and abstracting their bodies and organs through textile art. This creates a sense of distance, allowing the viewer to slowly confront a reality that they often shy away from, while maintaining a safe distance.
This distance exists at the intersection of the artwork and the artist, the lives that have passed and the new energy being born, death and rebirth, darkness and light. The softness inherent in the materials, combined with the strength that the meditative act of 'nuī' (embroidery) brings, vividly expresses the transient nature of life. In this way, Hou's works transcend decorative existence, possessing the power to evoke deep reflection and emotion in the viewer.
