In the immersive realm of the exhibition 'Thus Have We Seen,' artist Mengfan Bai skillfully captures and preserves traces from diverse physical landscapes onto canvas, akin to the delicate slices of a plant. Through this meticulous process, Mengfan constructs a multidimensional tapestry, overlapping various locales to articulate the trajectory of the artist within a singular thematic field.
Mengfan Bai
Nile IV, 2024
Oil on canvas
50h x 40w x 4d cm
© Courtesy of the artist
In the past decade of her artistic journey, Mengfan Bai has traversed various locales, navigating the intricate tapestry of diverse cultures, customs, and landscapes. Amidst this perpetual flux, she embarks on a profound exploration, endeavoring to discern the essence of her identity amidst constant transformation. Mengfan's evocative prose often fixates on landmarks and everyday scenes, eschewing conventional representation for a nuanced analysis. Through her discerning lens, she distills these vignettes into fragments, seeking to uncover novelty within the mundane. By stripping away iconic features, she accentuates the universal threads woven through her personal experiences, deftly illustrating the symbiotic relationship between objective reality and subjective sentiment.
Mengfan Bai
Nile V, 2024
Oil on canvas
120h x 160w x 4d cm
© Courtesy of the artist
The "Nile" series stands as the quintessential oeuvre of Mengfan's artistic portfolio. These captivating images are sourced from the Nile River, housed within the Egyptian Pavilion at the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States. Enveloping the exhibition halls of the Temple of Dendur, this meticulously crafted artificial pool conjures an ambiance redolent of its distant homeland. Within this immersive rendition of the Nile, visitors from diverse cultural backgrounds partake in a symbolic ritual, casting currency from around the globe into its waters as offerings of prayer. This ritualistic enactment serves as a compelling testament to the enduring power of place and collective experience, further enriching the narrative tapestry of the exhibition.
Throughout the annals of human civilization, the symbiotic relationship between "water" and "human settlement" has been an enduring motif, giving rise to cities, political structures, economies, and entire civilizations. Within this intricate tapestry, "money" emerges as a tangible manifestation of aggregated power, serving as a ubiquitous symbol of identity and distinction. In her exploration of the Nile, Mengfan Bai expands the visual frame, offering a magnified perspective of a secluded corner of the pool. Here, her focus sharpens on the intricate texture of water's ripples and the kaleidoscopic reflection of diverse coins submerged below the surface. This juxtaposition of "water" and "money" unveils a compelling intertextual dialogue, wherein these two fundamental mediums—circulating within both the natural and human realms—bear witness to the genesis, flux, and evolution of human civilization.
Installation view of Keep the Changes, February 29, 2024 - April 14, 2024, Nan Ke Gallery, Shanghai © Courtesy Nan Ke Gallery, photographed by AHstudio
Inspired by her observations of diverse currencies, Mengfan conceived the evocative "Keep the Change" series of paintings. Each artwork within this collection features a medley of currencies sourced from various countries, regions, and governmental entities delicately rendered on circular canvases. Through meticulous juxtaposition on the gallery wall, Bai masterfully recreates the interplay and depth reminiscent of coins nestled within the pool's depths. Symbolically arranged akin to the offerings in a wishing fountain, these amalgamated currencies serve as a poignant reflection of intersecting temporal backgrounds and disparate geographical landscapes, eloquently capturing the essence of interconnectedness amidst diversity.
Installation view of Put Out the Sea II, February 29, 2024 - April 14, 2024, Nan Ke Gallery, Shanghai © Courtesy Nan Ke Gallery, photographed by AHstudio
Mengfan has consistently employed painting as a medium to scrutinize the fragments of urban life, whether they manifest as prominent landmarks or overlooked corners. Through her adept brushwork, she meticulously captures and magnifies these scenes, transcending their literal representation to evoke a transition from the familiar to the uncanny, from the concrete to the abstract. By abstracting the quotidian inertia inherent in daily existence, she opens up new realms of emotional resonance and interpretative space.
In her latest exhibition, Mengfan ventures to alter the scale of her artistic perspective. "Put Out to Sea II" notably shifts the focal point from the iconic Statue of Liberty to a distant vista, akin to the cinematic effect of a "close-up." This intentional blurring of symbolic features serves to abstract the figurative, imbuing the work with a sense of enigmatic allure. Moreover, by altering the perspective, she seamlessly integrates the natural landscape into the artistic narrative, with Lady Liberty merging into the ethereal expanse of sea and cityscape, evoking a blurred yet poignant reminiscence akin to a treasured memory.
Mengfan Bai
Changle Gas Station, 2023
Coarse pumice gel and oil on canvas
60h x 120w x 4d cm
© Courtesy of the artist
In contrast to “Changle Gas Station”, which hangs opposite, the artist's personal experience, trajectory and emotions are also reflected in this work. “Changle Gas Station” continues the super-figurative approach that the artist is known for, incorporating materials such as sand and stone into her paintings, sincerely reproducing the texture of the red brick walls of old Shanghai. Her precise control of highlights and shadows also allows the title of the bronze characters to be honestly displayed. This constitutes a communication of "locality", linking the space of Nan Ke Gallery with the neighbouring Changle Gas Station, reproducing the artist's meticulous observation of actual life, independent of memories and imagination.
Mengfan Bai
Hunter's Point III, 2023
Oil on canvas
61h x 45.5w x 4d cm
© Courtesy of the artist
Beyond landmarks, Mengfan endeavors to broaden her artistic expression by delving into the realm of everyday objects. Her "Elliptical Refraction" series, for instance, captures the essence of the often unnoticed chandeliers in buildings she encounters daily. With meticulous brushwork, she skillfully conveys the interplay of light and shadow, thereby expanding the canvas of her own consciousness. Similarly, in "Hunter's Point III," Mengfan portrays a roadside snowman with a seamless fusion of cool hues and delicate composition. This piece serves as a poignant reflection of the artist's intimate emotions and cherished memories, transcending the ordinary to evoke a deeply personal narrative.
In this exhibition, Mengfan intertwines memory and reality with her unique artistic perspective, presenting a profound exploration of place, identity and flux. Through meticulous observation and exquisite painting skills, she transforms fragments of different cities into images on canvas, as if outlining the trajectory of memory circulation in a constant space. Inside the space, the viewer can travel between different times and spaces in a state of appreciation and interact with them by substituting their own emotions, making memories run, exchange and continue here like currency or water flow.
Text by Roxane Fu
March 24, 2024
