YIRI ARTS

Period: 10/19~11/16

In 1924, as the world was still reeling from the upheaval of World War I and the influenza pandemic, the first Surrealist Manifesto was published in Paris. It embodied a powerful spirit of anarchism and revolution, striving to develop means of resisting oppressive systems and imagining a future founded on freedom and equality. What began as a literary movement ignited an artistic revolution, liberating creative imagination from the constraints of reason and traditional morality. This movement influenced nearly every form of cultural production and gradually shaped the collective imagination of subsequent generations. Today, we use the term “surreal” to describe things that are beyond imagination and comprehension.

In the same year, Kafka’s life quietly concluded amid the social upheaval of the time. In The Metamorphosis, he captured the unease and anxiety felt by people entering the industrial age of the early 20th century. He pondered the possibilities for humanity when the external world had become absurd, and life itself resembled a series of internal nightmares and metaphors.

In 2024, as we emerge from the shadow of COVID-19 and face ongoing geopolitical conflicts, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by artificial intelligence, sweeps across the globe. If algorithms can think and feel, how do we recalibrate our understanding of reality and humanity? A century later, we grapple with issues and seek solutions much like the generation that saw the rise of Surrealism. What insights can contemporary life draw from this?

YIRI ARTS is pleased to present the group exhibition “Metamorphosis,” employs surrealism as a verb—unleashing the subversive power of perception to challenge the various issues of our time. Our aim is to explore previously undefined terms, which may be fantastical, transformative, or possibly hybrid, to narrate a world full of infinite possibilities and freedom. This winter, as Breton once said, let Surrealism become the “invisible light” that will one day help us overcome our adversaries. “All roses will turn blue, and trees will become glass.”

Period: 10/19~11/16

Living on the narrow, ocean-surrounded island of Taiwan, environmental change is an unavoidable part of daily life. From seasonal typhoons to shifting tectonic plates, the land is never truly stable. Jiang Meng-Si sees the world as a vast vessel, constantly swaying and trembling on the sea, with each of us as travelers aboard, navigating alongside our surroundings.

Since his 2019 solo exhibition The Nest Boy, the concept of "voyaging" has become a recurring theme in Jiang's work. Each piece he creates feels like a mental journey, and this exhibition reflects his interpretation of that ongoing voyage. Through these works, Jiang explores the psychological state of people in transit and examines how individuals maintain balance and move forward amidst a constantly changing environment.

In his sculptures, Jiang uses inverted and unstable structures to express the human struggle for survival in uncertainty. He presents a philosophical approach to living with change, suggesting that one must build a vessel for the soul that can continue its journey through instability.

The works are anchored by swaying and rotating forms, using their own weight and gravity to create natural movement. This motion adds a playful visual element while revealing the fragile balance between stability and instability. As the movement slows and eventually stops, the sculptures' visual language deepens, inviting viewers to engage with the works and explore the philosophical ideas they evoke.

In this era of constant flux, turbulence seems to be a shared future. Yet, Jiang suggests that maintaining sharp awareness and thoughtful reflection while voyaging through change is crucial. This is the spirit of Voyagers on a Vessel—continuing forward through an ever-shifting journey.