People who pass through Taikoo Hui in Guangzhou every day,
Some will be in the West Square that is made up of the foundation of the red and blue,
as well as a clean geometric line composition
Attracted by the sculpture "Darwin, 2019",
Stop to take a few photos;
More, the footsteps hurried past.
Darwin, 2019
Over the past two years, the work, unveiled by renowned British artist Phillip King at the age of 85, seems to have become a naturally integrated landscape in Guangzhou's urban space, part of people's daily lives and work.
Darwin, 2019 is the first work introduced by The Guangzhou Taikoo Hui's "Yanyi Time and Space" art project. Named after the biologist and evolutionary pioneer Charles Darwin, the work alludes to the concepts of "transformation" and "evolution" in the combined relationship of three shapes (triangle, circle, square). The outdoor work of this artist with a keen interest in Chinese calligraphy and Zen culture has always been closely related to urban architecture. He has said he was drawn to Guangzhou's open environment, and the sculpture's choice of location makes it look as if it is jumping happily between buildings, rejoicing and moving. Whether viewed from the ground, overhead from above with a drone, or from the interior of Taikoo Hui's buildings, this work gives people a different feeling.
On July 27, 2021, Philip King passed away, and Darwin, 2019 has become an artistic souvenir of the sculptor with a long creative journey.
According to the organizers, since July 2019, the "Yanyi Time and Space" art project has begun to focus on creating a new artistic and humanistic space for consumers and cities, and has successively introduced the works of art of international masters in the form of progressive theme exhibitions. The project hopes to leverage the burst and integration of thinking inspiration through the equal dialogue and exchange of people and artworks, and continue to promote the development and co-prosperity of individuals and cities in a harmonious and benign relationship.
The renowned deconstructivist architect Frank Gehry, winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, has created architectural masterpieces such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. He has also been constantly exploring the field of sculpture and furniture design, and is good at creating very innovative forms with unexpected materials, and in "Yanyi Time and Space", we can see his "Fish Lamp".
Fish lamps
The birth of Fish Lantern was somewhat accidental: in 1983, Gehry received a design commission that asked Gehry to create using the then-emerging ColorCore panels. In the creation, Gehry accidentally broke a plate, but was inspired by the discovery that the fragments of the plate were very similar to fish scales. The first fish lamps were made between 1984 and 1986 using a fish-shaped metal wire skeleton, on which each rainbow heart plate was individually adhered to it, thus accurately representing the true morphological characteristics of the fish.
Since the first fish lamp came out in 1984, "fish" has been a recurring theme in Gehry's work, not only because of the beauty of its design, but also because of its pictographic and natural properties. Its mercury charm inspired Gehry to design many wavy and curved works, such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, the Jay Pritzker Open-Air Concert Hall in Chicago, the Marquis Descher Chersy Riscot Hotel in El Shegoris, Spain, the "Olympic Village Fish Sculpture" in Barcelona, and the "Standing Glass Fish" in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
In 2012, Gehry decided to revisit his early ideas and ideas and set about creating a whole new set of fish lamps. The resulting works range from life-size to oversized sizes, reflecting his bolder use of rainbow heart panels, incorporating elements that are larger in size and more jagged in the edges. Each sculpture is unique and handmade.
Leno Antunes, the author of Dialogue with Her, was born in 1972 in Lisbon, Portugal. Her elegant 27 contoured lines made of brass run vertically through the mall's three oval patios, reflecting the surrounding light and figures, giving visitors a new sense of the tall space they are in.
Talk to her
In addition, in the "Yanyi Time and Space" art project, we can also see the art installation "Pairing Shadows" designed by Man Keshang that resembles an optical labyrinth, the "Fame of the Sea Country" based on the embroidery products made by Guangzhou Zhuangyuanfang and using digital photography and digital sewing technology, and the large-scale illusion painting "Aerial Illusion" created by British artist Lincoln Seligman.
Pairs of shadows
The sea country is famous
Aerial illusion
Text/Guangzhou Daily, Xinhuacheng reporter Bu Songzhu
Photo/Courtesy of the organizer
Guangzhou Daily Xinhuacheng editor Dai Yujing