The Map / 地圖

2023
installation
metal, soil from London White City Japanese Garden
63 cm dia, 2.5 cm thickness
this work is supported by the Delfina Foundation's research programme Collecting as Practice
video trailer ︎

The Map delves into the problematic nature of the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910 taken place at present-day White City Japanese Garden in London. Presented as a meticulously carved metal plate resembling the map of the Formosa Hamlet, which was prominently featured in the exhibition, the artwork exposes the underlying motives and unsettling dynamics of the event.
Driven by Japan's eagerness to reshape its public image in Britain and Europe, the exhibition was a grand display of Japan's aspiration to be seen as a great power and colonial force in Asia. The design of the metal plate, drawing a comparison to the design of visitor’s traffic flow in museums, serves as a commentary on the manipulation of visitor experiences. It highlights the strategic routes crafted to guide visitors in a predetermined order, manipulating their perception and limiting their agency. By incorporating soil collected from the Japanese Garden in the present-day White City as a 'stamp' on the ground, the artwork evokes a sense of the unsettling notion of a human zoo.

The artwork raises critical questions about the ethics of representation, colonial history, and cultural exchange. It invites viewers to confront the uncomfortable reality of the Japan-British Exhibition, urging them to reflect on the lasting impact of such exhibitions and the power dynamics inherent in them. The artist, however, adopts a critical stance, challenging the exhibition's narrative by incorporating soil collected from the Japanese Garden in the present-day White City. This act serves as a powerful reminder of the exhibition's exploitative nature, as it symbolically brings the troubling past into the present.

Installation view at Tabula Rasa Gallery in London, UK, 2023

Related information ︎
︎︎︎ ARTFORUM
︎︎︎ EMPIRE LINES
︎︎︎ Tabula Rasa Gallery

© 2024 Musquiqui Lab

The Map / 地 圖

© 2024
Musquiqui Lab

The Map / 地圖