Sympoietic Curtain
Wenli Zhong
Corn starch, water, glycerin, vinegar, nutrient agar, soil, wax, human epidermal bacteria, metal ring
2023
Wenli is a designer currently based in New York. She is an artist who navigates the realms of imagination and materiality to craft narratives that transcend the ordinary. With an unwavering belief in the transformative power of creativity, she embarks on a continuous exploration of the interplay between the tangible and the intangible. Drawing inspiration from the concept of sympoiesis, she envisions art as a dynamic force intricately woven into the thoughts and desires of individuals. This belief forms the cornerstone of her creative philosophy—a philosophy that blurs the boundaries between reality and fiction, forging environments where fresh narratives can unfurl.
Wenli Zhong
Corn starch, water, glycerin, vinegar, nutrient agar, soil, wax, human epidermal bacteria, metal ring
2023
Wenli is a designer currently based in New York. She is an artist who navigates the realms of imagination and materiality to craft narratives that transcend the ordinary. With an unwavering belief in the transformative power of creativity, she embarks on a continuous exploration of the interplay between the tangible and the intangible. Drawing inspiration from the concept of sympoiesis, she envisions art as a dynamic force intricately woven into the thoughts and desires of individuals. This belief forms the cornerstone of her creative philosophy—a philosophy that blurs the boundaries between reality and fiction, forging environments where fresh narratives can unfurl.
This project is a testament to the power of imagination and the capacity of materials to weave narratives. I embark on a quest to craft a curtain that transcends the ordinary, one that materializes a unique liminal space, a threshold bridging the domains of life and death. This creative endeavor draws its inspiration from the concept of sympoiesis, where the very existence of this liminal space is believed to be intricately intertwined with people’s thoughts and desires. This narrative of design endeavors to blur the demarcation between the real and the imaginary, forging an environment where fresh narratives can unfurl. It's a world where reality and fiction intertwine, and where the intangible and the tangible coexist harmoniously.
By exploring the extraction of materials from the natural world and the innovative forms and colors they can assume, I aspire to breathe life into uncharted stories. As I delve into this project, I find myself grappling with fundamental questions. How can biological materials serve as a canvas to render collective desires in tangible forms? This pivotal inquiry is at the heart of my undertaking, as I aspire to transform the intangible into the material. Moreover, I envision materials as conduits that deepen the connection between humans and nature. With my choice of biological materials, I enter into a symbiotic partnership with the natural world, extending beyond resource utilization to a profound union.
By exploring the extraction of materials from the natural world and the innovative forms and colors they can assume, I aspire to breathe life into uncharted stories. As I delve into this project, I find myself grappling with fundamental questions. How can biological materials serve as a canvas to render collective desires in tangible forms? This pivotal inquiry is at the heart of my undertaking, as I aspire to transform the intangible into the material. Moreover, I envision materials as conduits that deepen the connection between humans and nature. With my choice of biological materials, I enter into a symbiotic partnership with the natural world, extending beyond resource utilization to a profound union.
