KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 – The scholarly exhibition Architecture’s Inscriptions, curated by K Michael Hays and Sun Shi Ning, has opened at TANK Shanghai, bringing together contemporary architecture, art and historical Chinese cultural works.
The exhibition, which runs from July 8 to Oct 7, explores architecture through the concept of inscriptions across different materials, media and historical periods, according to TANK Shanghai in a statement.
It features works by contemporary Chinese architects and artists alongside ancient manuscripts, ink rubbings, scholar’s rocks, paintings and calligraphic works.
The opening ceremony was attended by the curators; exhibition designer Yung Ho Chang; participating architects including Huang Wenjing, Li Hu, Liu Jiakun, Liu Yichun, Zhang Ke, Zhu Xiaofeng and Zhuang Shen; as well as artists such as Ding Yi, Xu Bing and Zhan Wang.
Since the 1990s, Professor Hays has developed the concept of architecture’s inscriptions through academic research, including collaborations with Dr Sun at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and seminars at Tongji University.
The exhibition is organised into four thematic sections namely, Allography, Unary Trait, Parataxis and Earth Marks, examining inscription through graphic notations, artistic expression, the relationship between different forms and architecture’s connection to the earth.
An international symposium held at the West Bund Museum on July 9 brought together architects, artists and scholars to discuss themes including “The Letter, the Line”, “Technics | Poetics” and “Earth Marks”, extending conversations around architecture, art and cultural history beyond the exhibition space.
