Destination
@ W. gallery
600 W Van Buren St, Chicago, IL 60607
Opening Saturday, June 3rd, from 7PM - 9PM
On view through Sunday, July 2nd
Destination is a group exhibition at W. Gallery that explores the intricate relationship between life and death. There are different viewpoints of death throughout the world. The persistent patterns in many belief systems, whether they teach about eternal heaven and hell or death as only the beginning to a cycle of reincarnation, share an imagined prospect of a fantastical afterlife. These beliefs and mythic stories provide individuals with a sense of hope that enables them to confront death without fear. On the other hand, the philosopher Martin Heidegger proposed the concept of “Being-toward-Death” to provide an understanding of life and dying, grounded in our living day to day. In contrast to aforementioned mythic beliefs, which place the afterlife as a distant destination from life; Heidegger opens the possibility to view death as the closure to life. He believes that by understanding dying as the ultimate destiny of humanity, individuals can gain precise insights into the true meaning of their existence in the present, which allows them to have the agency to live their own lives.
The exhibition encompasses diverse viewpoints around the subject of living and dying from a wide array of artists working in all mediums. It begins with the beautiful fantasy of the afterlife in mythological stories and shifts to explore the awareness and understanding of death in the real world. This multidisciplinary exhibition showcases oil painting, sculpture, fiber art, performance, installation, and more. Some of these works draw on the artists’ own experiences to show the individual’s perspective, while others reflect on the poetic and aesthetic aspects of the theme from a macro perspective. In an era of loss and uncertainty caused by the global pandemic, this exhibition provides an opportunity for viewers to look at the relationship between life and death with a peaceful mindset, free from anxiety and fear. Destination at W. Gallery investigates death as its subject but leading viewers to hope and vitality, revealing the possibilities of reconciling with death.
Participating artists: Angelica Ong, Arvid Fure, Francesca Bayegan, Huaqi Liu, Jacob Unze, Jiajun Song, Shuo Cai, Sitong Yin, Susie Zhu, and Yunwei Zhou. The exhibition is curated by Yitsai and Way.
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Tags: Angelica Ong, Arvid Fure, Chicago, Destination, Francesca Bayegan, Huaqi Liu, Jacob Unze, Jiajun Song, near west side, Shuo Cai, Sitong Yin, Susie Zhu, W. gallery, Yitsai and Way, Yunwei Zhou
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