Shi Yong: All Forms Bow to Gravity, Even Imagination is Absent

Shi Yong’s solo exhibition “All Forms Bow to Gravity, Even Imagination is Absent” will open at Wanxia Art Centre on Dec 3, 2025, and will last till March 15, 2026. The exhibition presents Shi Yong’s works from the past decade as well as his latest creations, continuing Shi Yong’s long-standing investigation of form and structure. His inquiry moves beyond the transformation of shape and medium, extending into a perceptual rethinking of the relationship between the “inside” and the “outside.”

Shi’s practice has evolved from observing form and image to examining the underlying spiritual and structural conditions. Since the 1990s, his work has challenged the boundaries separating the individual from society, as well as symbols from objects. This time, his inquiry returns to the body, with “bone” as a central motif that directly addresses the foundations of life — both biological and existential.

Each work in the exhibition reflects Shi’s ongoing exploration of his artistic approach—examining the tension between “concealment” and “revelation,” and seeking a mode of expression that resides between the visible and the invisible. Using “gravity” as its central concept, the exhibition explores how, within the dense layers of reality, small spaces for freedom and meaning can still be found. Shi’s approach remains composed, yet the tension between order and disruption imbues these recent works with emotions more intense than those in his earlier practice. Through subtle material orchestrations and shifts in conceptual framing, the exhibition invites viewers to engage in a quiet yet profound thought experiment as they encounter the works.