Sparkling Ghost — Solo | Mizuiro Workshop

A close-up of the Sparkling Ghost exhibition catalog by Dao Ming Chuang, featuring the iconic artwork with rich details and luxurious elements.

2019.12.07 — 2020.01.12
Mizuiro Workshop
Tainan, Taiwan

 

“Authenticity—a form of confidence; you know you are loved, so you are not afraid to show your true self.”

Being able to laugh when you are happy, admit to a broken heart in times of grief, acknowledge anger and express it wisely rather than suppressing it. Asking questions without fear when you don’t understand, and seeking when you aspire for something. When all hope feels lost, allowing yourself to endure without pretending to be strong; and when in deep pain, admitting bitterness without fearing judgment. Authenticity—it reveals the richness of life’s diversity, and I believe it is one of the most beautiful human states when we appreciate our unique qualities. Moreover, embracing the authenticity of others is the greatest virtue of all.

Preparations for Dao Ming Chuang’s Sparkling Ghost exhibition, with various large-scale portraits being arranged for display in the gallery space. The exhibition wall of Dao Ming Chuang's Sparkling Ghost, bathed in a soft red glow, showcasing the title and theme of the series. Dao Ming Chuang's "The Flower of Bougainvillea" painting from the Sparkling Ghost exhibition, showcasing a central figure adorned in an elegant black gown and necklace, set against a lush background of bougainvillea flowers, flanked by butterfly-themed artwork on both sides. Dao Ming Chuang's Sparkling Ghost exhibition featuring "The Black Hole Hunter/Episode I/The Song Of Siren" on the left, depicting a striking female figure with surreal, floral elements, and "The Wood in Our Eyes" on the right, showcasing a woman in a vibrant red dress surrounded by butterflies and dark foliage. Emotional Anesthesia by Dao Ming Chuang, a striking painting from the Sparkling Ghost exhibition, featuring a delicate balance of dark and vibrant tones, portraying a central figure with bold expressions and intricate details, symbolizing emotional numbness amidst a vivid floral backdrop. Dao Ming Chuang's painting The Factory of Perfection features a central figure surrounded by a vibrant explosion of colorful, abstract elements, symbolizing the complexity and idealization of beauty and perfection. Dao Ming Chuang's painting Lifting Me Up in the Shaking Darkness, part of his Sparkling Ghost exhibition, features a central ethereal portrait entwined with vines, flanked by dynamic abstract layers of vibrant colors. Dao Ming Chuang's painting “The Priceless Dream or the Useless Dream?” from the Sparkling Ghost exhibition portrays a lifelike doll in a detailed floral gown against a grayscale floral backdrop.

How does one choose a Barbie that carries such a heavy weight of meaning? In a nutshell, Dao Ming explains the shared connection between Barbie and humanity: "Barbie is the oppressed; at the same time, Barbie is the oppressor." For him, certain qualities of Barbie seem to readily evoke that state of human existence—a state where the "real" is simultaneously devoured and erased by the "hyperreal," yet at the same time powerfully transforms its surroundings. Borrowing Dao Ming's phrasing, "Barbie is a consumed product; at the same time, Barbie is a high-spending VIP."

Emmy Swanson
真實的雙重思路：寫在莊道明個展之際

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