ST.ART Gallery - Material Voices

Material Voices

The material, the very essence of an artwork, is the matter and substance that is transformed yet not entirely absorbed into the representational. However, the material from which it is formed is often overlooked by the viewer or used automatically by an artist. ‘Material Voices’ brings together eight artists whose conscious intention is to explore the material as a driving force, the subject, and the symbolism of artwork. The substances transformed by the artists crystalize their thoughts, represent their concerns, and channel their voices. Seeking, selecting, and interrogating unique and specific materials in new ways is a ‘material-driven contemporary art practice.’ The exhibition reveals the material physical existence and, beyond that, questions material culture, aiming to elevate the mundane to ritual and spirituality. 

Each of the eight artists attending the Royal College of Art is passionately carving their own path through the realm of materials. Wangzhu and Jingyi explore biomaterials in the context of painting, seeking to understand natural forces and collaborate with them. Siying and Miao represent psychological impulses and memory through the conscious manipulation of material properties. Cheng Yen and Yang Fan critique the socio-political and consumption in material culture, while Wang Zhen and Lau Yee represent a material’s metaphoric and spiritual meaning. By speaking in a material voice and delving into materiality, these artists infuse human concerns into inert matter, critique culture, and transform imminent experience.

In the spirit of ‘Material Voices’, the exhibition includes a literal showcase of the raw materials used, the research behind them, images of the processes of making alongside the finished artworks. It’s a tactile, visual, emotional, and intellectual journey where audiences gain an in-depth understanding of the artwork and the knowledge that goes into its creation, stepping behind the scenes and into the creative process typically hidden in the studio.