Dreamscape Estuary

3 Oct-4 Nov 2023

Overview

A group exhibition curated by Laura Shao.

An estuary is a geographical point where rivers meet the sea, a liminal zone where two distinct realms merge and nurture each other.

There is no subject of subordination in this relationship. The ‘mainstream’ dissipates – rivers diverge into streams, streams aggregate into the ocean – a point in time and space where intersectional fluidity breeds a complex and diverse ecosystem.

In Dreamscape Estuary, we find a convergence of cultural currents, a place where the dreams and visions of artists flow together, forging a unique and vibrant estuary of artistic expression. The title of the exhibition Dreamscape Estuary serves as a metaphorical bridge between the ethereal and the tangible, the historical and the mythological, the personal and the universal – a complex micro-landscape where individuality unites and integrates into collective consciousness, and cultural memories forge into myriads of private narratives. The exhibition brings together a group of 14 talented Asian artists with various backgrounds and experiences that straddle multiple geographies and cultures. In each of their works, ideas, memories and landscapes are distilled, amalgamated, abstracted or entirely imagined, weaving a rich tapestry of personal mythology that resonates with the complexities and contradictions of Asian experiences.

In the ancient allegory of Chuang Tzu’s butterfly dream, the philosopher questioned whether he was a man dreaming of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being a man, challenging our perception of truth and identity. Similarly, an artwork opens up an estuary of dreams, a portal where private realities and cultural consciousness blur, merge, or contradict. In a way, the dreamscape is fluid and everchanging. Through the complex and often tumultuous waters of identity, memory, and tradition, perhaps art can offer us a glimmer of insight into what’s in between. 

Laura Shao is the Director of International Development at Hive Center for Contemporary Art. She holds dual degrees in Linguistics and Screen Studies from Fudan University and the University of Manchester. With her expertise in global Asian artists, Shao helps them to develop internationally through strategic interactions with the greater ecosystem of art among institutions, galleries, academics and private collectors. Before joining Hive, Laura Shao was a 20th and 21st Century Art specialist at Christie’s. She has participated in planning and curating several innovative projects, including RADIANCE: Jean-Michel Basquiat, the first major exhibition of Basquiat in Hong Kong. She works between Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.