When facing unknown challenges, many people not only actively seek solutions but also turn to faith for spiritual comfort. However, have you ever thought about how religious beliefs can become part of artistic creation? Recently, the Tessa Gallery brought us the latest solo exhibition “Family Prosperity” by local conceptual artist Mak Ying-tung II. Drawing inspiration from Chinese spiritual beliefs that bring good luck, the artist explores the relationship between “value” and “faith” through her latest installations and oil paintings, delving into the intersection of Chinese feng shui and technology.
The artist’s original name was Mak Ying Tung. In 2018, following the advice of a feng shui master, she changed her name to “Mak Ying Tung II” in hopes of gaining fame and good luck through the stroke count of her Chinese name. The name change not only symbolizes the establishment of a new identity but also marks the beginning of a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the artist will delve into this issue in her latest exhibition.
One of the multimedia installations in the exhibition, “Five Loaves and Two Fishes,” is composed of multiple 3D printed crystals and two projected images. The artist incorporates traditional Chinese religious beliefs of seeking blessings and good luck through “worship,” inviting a feng shui master to “consecrate” the digital files containing the crystal 3D models.
The artist printed out several miniature sculptures of “consecrated” documents, theoretically all carrying the blessings of a feng shui master. The images loop, one generated from a crystal 3D model file, the other from an audio recording of the consecration ceremony. The artist transforms the feng shui master’s blessings into different physical forms and mediums, reflecting the reproducibility of faith. Similarly, she expresses through her work that as long as one “believes,” the “value” of faith can be generated.
In addition to the installation works, the artist’s iconic oil painting series “Beautiful Home” is also exhibited this time. This series began in 2019, and the new creation “Beautiful Home: Feng Shui Painting” created through the video game “The Sims”, the artist used elements from the game to reflect Hong Kong in a bizarre yet utopian scene, and incorporated different fantasies into the work. Later, she even invited a feng shui master for consultation to adjust the colors, decorations, and placement of the sketches.
After completing the best composition, the virtual home is optimized for feng shui and then screenshotted, divided into three parts, and sent to different artists hired by the artist on Taobao. Because the three paintings are from different artists, the inconsistency in the artists’ skill levels, painting techniques, and materials used makes the final triptych effect unpredictable, and the lack of harmony in the image is the highlight of the work.
The new sub-series incorporates feng shui elements, exploring its idealization for the family from a superstitious perspective. By allowing a feng shui master to intervene in intimate spaces like homes, the artist implies the concept that belief trumps personal preferences. While the original series interpreted the differences between fantasy and reality, the use of superstition in the new works demonstrates the influence of belief on perception. Through the feng shui attributes in the virtual environment and its resulting triptychs, these works are believed to bring good luck to the exhibition.
The exhibition also showcases the installation works of the “Calculating the Mechanism” series, delving further into the artist’s contemplation of the coexistence of science and superstition in the era of Feng Shui and 21st-century technology. The work, as a carefully curated performance, presents an existential concept, where often prophecies are self-fulfilling, a result of personal will. Whether the ultimate outcome is due to divine blessing or the influence of one’s own mind, I believe everyone’s opinion may vary. Why not visit the exhibition and ponder the value of faith through the artist’s unique series of creations.
“Family Prosperity” by Mak Ying Tung Two-Person Exhibition
Date: October 16, 2021 to December 4, 2021
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Location: De Sarthe Gallery, 20/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong (Closed on Mondays and Sundays)
Image source and learn more: Desarthe Gallery
