GOLDEN BOY AND JADE GIRL
The Tomb is a large-scale international art swap and exhibition featuring over 60 artists. Each artist has created editions of work responsing to the given prompt to be shared with every artist. The final outcome was also exhibited at Light Grey Art Lab, Minneapolis.
Exhibition
THE TOMB
Venue
LIGHT GREY ART LAB,
MINNEAPOLIS
Year
2021
THE TOMB
Venue
LIGHT GREY ART LAB,
MINNEAPOLIS
Year
2021
Golden Boy and Jade Girl are favoured servants of the Jade Emperor in Chinese mythology. They are believed to serve as guides in the underworld and the protectors of houses and temples. I was inspired by my visit to a Chinese paper offering store where I came across these papier-mache servants. It is the Chinese belief that paper offerings of different objects would reach the Netherlands when they’re burnt.
These characters are my interpretation of the servants and my tribute to this fascinating belief.
PROMPT
You trace the design atop the lid with a slow, deliberate finger. The light of the full moon spills out over the hall — a forbidden place to all but the souls from ancient times. Were the stories true? Did it matter? The dampness of the night air had already seeped into your clothing an hour ago, yet the discomfort was nothing compared to the electric rush of adrenaline that pulsed through your veins. No one has ever seen the contents of the chest — there were only legends warning of what could be within. What mysteries, what terrors, what traps, blessings, treasures….. no one knows. You swallow hard, muster the courage, and open the lid.
The caverns are dark and dusty– it’s difficult to find your footing and to see the path forward. But then, you find it; the ancient tomb. The tomb is filled with treasures, artifacts, maps, codes, ancient relics, weapons, items for the afterlife, lore, and relics from days gone by.
These characters are my interpretation of the servants and my tribute to this fascinating belief.
PROMPT
You trace the design atop the lid with a slow, deliberate finger. The light of the full moon spills out over the hall — a forbidden place to all but the souls from ancient times. Were the stories true? Did it matter? The dampness of the night air had already seeped into your clothing an hour ago, yet the discomfort was nothing compared to the electric rush of adrenaline that pulsed through your veins. No one has ever seen the contents of the chest — there were only legends warning of what could be within. What mysteries, what terrors, what traps, blessings, treasures….. no one knows. You swallow hard, muster the courage, and open the lid.
The caverns are dark and dusty– it’s difficult to find your footing and to see the path forward. But then, you find it; the ancient tomb. The tomb is filled with treasures, artifacts, maps, codes, ancient relics, weapons, items for the afterlife, lore, and relics from days gone by.
︎︎︎ Previous Project Next Project ︎︎︎