In September 2006, Never Falls made its debut in City in Progress / Live from Zhang Jiang. The work in that exhibition showed an aluminum coin measuring 80 cm in diameter. Standing on a large basis that was 120 cm in height, the coin was driven to spin rapidly by an electric engine embedded inside the pedestal. The same principle is then applied in the second edition of this work displayed here in ShanghART Taopu, only with the coin shrunk into 50 cm in diameter and a cubic basis of 100 cm in length. The coin in Never Falls is called "World Coin" with a world map engraved by computer on its surfaces. As for the inspiration of creating this piece, XU Zhen said "I am just wondering, to stop a spinning coin from falling, is that really possible?" With the production of a world coin, the artist hints more or less at economic globalisation and what is concealed under boredom and futility conveyed by this very piece is perhaps bitter sarcasm wielded by him towards reality going insane and unstoppable.
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