"Ego Death In The Boot Of A Rocket Ship" (火箭靴中的自我死亡)
"Ego Death In The Boot Of A Rocket Ship" by island6 Art Collective (Liu Dao)
// BLURB //
I was having a smoke with an old friend earlier today. He was complaining about his flighty wife. She’s left him five times in the last year, and the price of the gifts to get her back has gotten higher with each round. What’s amazing to me is the way he can go on loving her. Falling in love? That’s easy. But staying in love? It’s suicide. He said to me “What I miss now is being able to buy new toys, but I’m glad I have my laopo back.” He’s lost his mind. What’s the point of going on if you can’t buy new toys, or clothes, or artworks? I recently commissioned a nude oil painting of myself. My sensitive bits were covered with a small cloth of fur, and I wore my thick, black-rimmed glasses. I didn’t smile. When I receive it in 3-5 more business days, I’m going to light it on fire and watch it burn, not because I will dislike the artwork, but because I need the reminder of the impermanence of my situation. When I’m gone, what will be left other than these things?
STATUS
SOLD. Private collection, Hong Kong.
EDITION, MEDIA, SIZE & WEIGHT
Unique Edition, Shanghai 2018
Gongbi painting (工笔) on rice paper, teakwood frame
46.5(W)×64(H)×2.5(D) cm // 3.4 kg (framed)
CRATE SIZE & WEIGHT
54(W)×69(H)×12(D) cm // 8.6 kg
EXPOSURE
• “Disaster Diaries” at island6 Shanghai Main Space
CREDITS
Wang Tie Zhong 王铁中 (Gongbi) • Yeung Sin Ching 杨倩菁 (production supervisor) • Thomas Charvériat (art direction) • Irmantas Bortnikas (documentation) • Carlin Reinig (blurb)
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