Shum Kwan Yi : Landscape of Haven 石窟遊樂園
沈君怡: 石窟遊樂園

18 Mar - 13 Apr, 2024
Grotto SKW

Opening Reception:
March 16, 2023 (Sat), 2-6pm

2/f, East 17, No. 17 Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong

Mon-Sat, 11 am - 6pm (closed on Sun and p.h.)

Landscape of Haven

In the year 366 AD, a monk named Lezun embarked on a journey to the Angquanzi Valley at the eastern foot of Mount Wusha, in search of a serene place for spiritual practice. To his amazement, he witnessed a spectacle of golden light emanating from the Three Dangerous Mountains across the river, as if countless Buddhas were revealed within the radiance. Inspired by this divine sight, he carved the first cave of the Mogao Grottoes on the mountainside, establishing it as his place of cultivation, with the tranquil chambers on the cliff transforming into celestial abodes of the Buddha. The tale spread, and thereafter, merchants and messengers flocked to Dunhuang to construct grottoes, serving as sanctuaries for lodging, sustenance, and contemplation while engaging in various forms of religious worship to invoke safe travels.

This exhibition draws inspiration from the story of Lezun carving the first cave of the Mogao Grottoes and aims to 'construct' a landscape of interconnected caves. Through a contemporary interpretation of traditional landscape painting,  it responds to the absurdity of the world and the inner struggles. The exhibition consists of two parts. The first part visually presents the landscapes inside and outside the caves from a first-person perspective. By deconstructing the conventional visual and traditional landscape patterns, it reconstructs a crowded yet solitary alternate space. This expresses resistance towards the external world while seeking solace for the spirit. The second part further deconstructs the landscapes, presenting them through architectural model accessories. It reveals the fictional and assembled nature behind the creative process, inviting the audience to collectively imagine and "construct" their own caves.

石窟遊樂園

「公元366年，一位名叫樂尊的和尚雲遊至嗚沙東麓的宕泉河谷，希望尋求一片寧靜之地修行。突然，他目睹對面的三危山金光萬道，彷彿千萬佛在金光中顯現。於是他在山上開鑿了莫高窟的第一個洞窟，從此洞窟成了他修行的場所，崖上的靜室轉化佛陀的天宮。」故事傳開後，商旅、信使紛紛差使在敦煌修造石窟，作為住宿、生活、補給和禪修的場所，並進行各種宗教崇拜以祈求旅途平安。

是次展覽啟發於「樂尊開鑿莫高窟」的故事，通過「建構」一個又一個洞穴的景觀，以當代山水畫回應世界的荒誕與內心的掙扎。展覽分為兩個部分，第一部分以第一人稱的視覺展示了洞內外的風景，通過解構日常的視覺和傳統山水的模式與圖象，重新建構一個擠擁且孤獨的異空間，借以表達對外部世界的抗拒，並尋求著心靈上的安慰；第二部分則進一步解拆景觀，以建築模型配件的方式呈現，揭示創作背後的虛構性和堆砌性，邀請觀眾共同想像並「建構」屬於自己的洞穴。