xu min

experiencing ‘the body as landscape’ calls for a special sensitivity for processes, forms, and materials. accordingly, the exhibition follows neither a chronological nor thematic order but, in the first place, seeks a dialogue with its spatial environment. informed by the transitory character of the works exhibited, the interplay of closeness and distance starts a dialogue which subtly expands and modifies the metaphorical statements made by the individual pieces.

designboom talked with xu min, the widow of the late chen zhen at the press preview of ‘chen zhen. body as landscape’, on february 23rd, 2008 at the mart museum in rovereto, italy. (xu min spoke in french during our interview. her words have been transcribed and translated into english).

xu min is standing in front of the ‘purification room’. it was first created in 2000 in collaboration with xu min. chen zhen introduced this piece as a ‘monochrome tomb’: ‘the natural material I use – helps figure out the source which the objects come from as well as the place where they will go back after their circulation through the society. the purifying elements sacrifice those objects after their utilisation, and sublimate a latent spirit; they provoke a new destiny to the fatal conclusion of these objects’.