Project /
Transfer to Tomorrow （New York,United States）
Transfer to Tomorrow No.1, 2024
Materials: soil, wax, cotton rope, wooden box, oil painting on canvas
Size can adjust
From a female perspective, Xinyan interprets current social and cultural phenomena while posing a thought-provoking question:"Are there truly insurmountable obstacles in life?"This idea of "Transfer to Tomorrow" goes beyond merely crossing into the next day; it points to the future and the unknown."Transfer" is not just a simple physical action but a triumph over hardships.
Xinyan expresses this theme by altering and reassembling daily objects, giving them new definitions. Inspired by recent wars, the artist uses black soil to create shapes reminiscent ofgraves, covered with thick, liquid wax that flows downward, resembling melting glaciers. White cotton ropes extend from the soil and when ignited, the solid wax melts again, flowing under the force of gravity.
This striking imagery evokes thoughts of life's fragility and resilience, revealing the profound meaning of "Transfer to Tomorrow" through the artist's meticulous design.
Photos courtesy by Upsilon gallery and the artist
Details
It's a commen saying that all things in the world eventually return to dust; this is both an end and a beginning. Soil serves as nourishment for plants, part of nature's cycle. It is the final resting place at the end of Life, opening the door to another form of existence. Crossing not only refers to life's challenges but also to a spiritual transcendence, aiming for a broader perspective.
The canvas oil painting in the artwork complements the theme of "Transfer to Tomorrow," depicting a news story of conjoined twins whose heads are fused together, never having seen each other, yet living their entire lives together. Their strong will helped them survive 80 difficult years, breaking a Guinness World Record.
This event vividly reflects Nietzsche's philosophy of the “Will to Power .”
Xinyan’s work is not only an interpretation of social phenomena but also a profound insight into how each individual faces the future and overcomes obstacles. As the artwork conveys, "tranfer to tomorrow " is the inner shout and pursuit of every person.
Transfer to Tomorrow No.2, 2024
Materials: soil, wax, cotton rope, wooden box, oil painting on canvas
Size can adjust
Details
Project /
Transfer to Tomorrow （Munich,Germany）
Transfer to Tomorrow No.3, 2024
Materials: soil, wax, cotton rope, wood, oil painting on canvas
Zhang Xinyan’s installation work, Transfer to Tomorrow, delves into the theme of "life and death" through intricate symbolism and layered techniques. Set against the backdrop of contemporary conflicts, the piece reflects on the fragility and resilience of humanity amidst the devastation of war,while conveying a hopeful outlook for the future.
At the heart of the installation is a mound of dirt, symbolizing a tomb and the transformation of human remains into dust. Flowing over this mound is liquid wax, which eventually solidifies into a milky white glacier. This glacier acts as a barrier, severing the connection between the soil and the external world, symbolizing the cessation of the life cycle. While death ultimately returns individuals to the earth, this interruption signifies not just an end but a cessation of life’s regeneration, emphasizing the profound impact of war on the continuity of existence.
Integral to the work are two wooden houses—one large and one small. The larger house is inverted and placed atop the smaller one, creating an unstable structure that symbolizes the fragmentation and upheaval of home life. This configuration reflects not only the disintegration of families due to war but also the broader chaos and uncertainty pervading society and individual lives. Inside the smaller house, dirt is again arranged to form a tomb, intensifying the theme of the home as a continuation of the grave, rather than a refuge.
Photos courtesy by Braun-Falco Galerie and the artist
Details
Light blue cotton threads weave throughout the installation, linking the houses to the dirt mound.These threads represent a sliver of hope amidst adversity. The fragility of the cotton combined with its blue hue conveys humanity’s yearning for a future despite the surrounding pain and destruction.
The blue threads symbolize the sky and the promise of tomorrow, suggesting that, even in dire circumstances, there remains a thread of hope leading towards rebirth and renewal.The oil painting within the installation depicts a soldier with facial injuries, his expression marked by pain. This portrayal directly illustrates the physical and psychological trauma inflicted by war.The soldier stands as a poignant representation of war's victims and embodies the central theme of "life and death" while gazing into the future. His suffering not only highlights individual anguish but also reflects the broader societal trauma engendered by conflict.
Through " Transfer to Tomorrow ", Xinyan utilizes materials and visual elements to depict a world marked by both destruction and hope. The installation’s sharp visual language invites the audience to contemplate the possibility of rebirth amidst devastation and to seek a path forward from today’s pain toward the promise of a new tomorrow.
