Three Shadows Photography Art Centre will present ‘The Death of Giants’ exhibition from 14 October to 31 December 2023, which will present a comprehensive collection of more than fifty works, including photographs, videos, and installations, created by Chinese artist Liang Yingfei during her residency in the Monthey region of Switzerland at the beginning of this year.
When Yingfei was in residence, she was inspired by what Jung proposed as ‘Myths are involuntary statements about unconscious psychic happenings’ and borrowed the character and structure from the myths to create a series of images and videos. Among her works, there are not only personal histories of residents in Swiss mountains, family photo albums, the data recording glacier retreat, but also re-creations using second-hand postcards and domestic waste. These works present the long-time connection between the Swiss people and glaciers, and explore their complex and profound emotions towards the nature. The use of mythological narratives is also to break the connection between the residents of the small town of Monthey and the glacier away from time and space, and to resonate with what lies in our subconscious - the relationship with nature and other beings.
The massive glacier is just like the aging Giant, left only with death. If the glacier dies, human life will also come to an end. Reflecting on the death of glacier is also to ponder over how should we live the life.
About SMArt
SMArt was launched in 2014 by the Foundation for the Sustainable Development of Mountain Regions (FDDM) in close cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Culture Service of Canton Valais. It relies on an extensive network of institutional and cultural partners in Switzerland and around the world. As the Chinese partner of the SMArt project, Three Shadows Photography Art Centre recommends photographers to live and work in Monthey during an open call. Artists ultimately research and create around topics such as ‘climate change,’ ‘water management’ and ‘mountain development’ in the context of challenges facing mountain regions around the globe.
Organizer: Three Shadows Photography Art Centre
Co-Organizers: Foundation for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Supporter: Embassy of Switzerland in China
Artist: Liang Yingfei
Curator: Zhang Siyang
Date: 14 October - 31 December 2023
Place: Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, 155A, Caochangdi, Chaoyang District, Beijing
