We live in a world full of uncertainties
Text/ Yin Zhixian
In the exhibition "Returning to the Void" curated by Song Tao, currently on show at YUAN Art Museum, Sun Wenjia presented his lacquer work "Material Evolution M02".
The piece is an installation floating on water. Originally, nothing was placed on this installation, but you can put anything on it. However, the floating nature of
the installation ensures that nothing can remain in one position permanently. This turbulence and change reflect the long-standing unease within people's hearts. The insecurity regarding uncertain things has always been an emotion that troubles humans. Efforts to eliminate this sense of insecurity are evident in various human behaviours. People seek to control life and prove their ability to handle change through acquiring wealth, seeking fame, getting married, having children, and so on, but reality soon dispels this sense of control.
The existential state of this artwork embodies an inherent characteristic of all things' evolution: an object that seems to have unchanging qualities once made is actually in a constant state of flux. There is no wind in the exhibition hall, and the pool holding the lacquer piece remains undisturbed by wind. Yet the way the water in the pool propels the object to float follows no rules—it is entirely random. The unique tone of lacquer also resembles the world we perceive, alternating between light and shadow: it seems to reveal everything, yet harbors unfathomable secrets. A square shape would normally exude a strong presence, but this square, with its rounded corners, appears less certain, confident, and proactive. Nor does it carry the humble, yielding demeanor of a circle. This mirrors a kind of struggle we all face: we feel we can control something, yet often fall into frustration, questioning if that sense of control is merely an illusion. The aura emitted by the entire artwork echoes the ups and downs we experience in life—the contradictions, the ambiguities, the doubts, as well as the desire to control, the willingness to take initiative, and the belief in certainty. These intertwined emotions are the feelings evoked by the evolution of all things, and they give rise to the lingering conflicting sentiments within us. Appreciating contemporary artworks requires the audience to bring their own life circumstances and reflections into the viewing process, creating a resonance with the work. Many artists use their creations to reveal the human condition and feelings, reminding people to better understand their own experiences, confront the true state of their inner selves, and thus gain deeper insights into the essence of life. Therefore, many works do not offer definite answers; they merely touch and arouse. Some artists may use intense methods to stimulate the audience, while others adopt a calm approach to encourage viewers to generate their own thoughts. As a viewer, opening yourself up to the artwork is, in fact, a process of opening up to yourself. The feelings stirred by the work already exist within you—you just might not have been aware of them without this trigger. Now that you recognize them, you gain a greater sense of self-awareness. What I gained from viewing this work is: we are destined to live in a world full of uncertainty. While this uncertainty is undoubtedly unsettling, we should also be grateful for it. It is precisely because of uncertainty that our lives hold infinite possibilities.