Silian Gallery, in collaboration with Mandy Zhang Art, is delighted to announce an evocative duo exhibition by Li Yin (b. 1982, China) and Kaja Stumpf (b. 1987, Norway). On view from 23rd February to 5th April 2024, Better Than Yesterday will take place at Silian Gallery’s space on King’s Road.
The convergence of Li Yin and Kaja Stumpf in Better Than Yesterday presents a thematic exploration of the erosion of individuality amidst societal machinations. This exhibition contemplates the self as it grapples with the veneer of societal vibrancy and the pursuit of fleeting ideals. The artists' works delve into the reclamation of identity through painting, tracing back to the roots and the essence of beginnings that resonate with authenticity and introspection.
Li Yin's series draws upon the intimate and now vanished Yinchang Valley of his childhood, a place once filled with laughter and companionship, now only a memory following the transformative Sichuan earthquake of 2008. His paintings serve as a portal to the past, capturing the essence of a lost home and the shared human experience of growth, loss, and the desire for a return to a time of innocence.
Kaja Stumpf's work probes the complex interplay between memory and self-perception. Her paintings are a visual inquiry into how selective memory and cognitive biases act as mechanisms of self-preservation. Through the manipulation of family photographs and staged scenes, she crafts images that evoke a nuanced sense of recognition, a connection bridge between the then and the now, between the person and the persona.
Better than Yesterday is an exhibition that invites visitors to contemplate the journey of the self through time and transformation. It presents a dialogue between two artists who, though separated by geography and culture, converge in their exploration of identity and memory amidst the homogenizing pressures of contemporary society.
Artists
LI YIN (b. 1982, Chengdu, China) melds expressionism with traditional Chinese aesthetics, his brushwork casting nature and human figures with effortless dynamism. Acclaimed for conveying complex emotions through simple strokes, Li captures the spiritual dissonance in modern life. His works, rich in literati spirit and vivid hues, reflect a world where individual essence fades into societal currents, and the pursuit of transient desires leaves indelible scars on the soul.
Li currently works and resides in Chengdu, China. He received a BFA from Sichuan Fine Art Institute in 2005, and his solo exhibitions include Yima Gallery (2021); Soka Art Centre (2011); Gallery Beijing Space (2010; 2008; 2007). His work has been exhibited in numerous group exhibitions, including at Long Museum, A Thousand Plateaus Art Space, Blue Top Art Gallery, and He Xiang Ning Art Museum, among others. He’s been featured in publications including the Hi Art, Artron Net, Art Link Art, and People’s Daily.
KAJA STUMPF (b. 1987, Norway) lives and works in London. Stumpf’s work examines memory, self-representation, and the mind-body connection. She explores the idea of selective memory and cognitive bias as a means of self-preservation, and through painting, she visualises the rumination of potential scenarios between past and present. Utilising staged images and the photographic family archive, she crops the scene and alters the colours to create a sense of delayed familiarity.
SELECTED WORKS
