The work draws inspiration from a traditional method of cultivating corn practiced around the Spring Equinox in the Sichuan–Chongqing region. Through an act of imitation, the artist engages in a non-verbal dialogue with the labor embedded in the agricultural life of the maternal generation. The land is understood as the maternal body: we emerge from it, and ultimately return to it.
The title, Dreamt of You Covered in Yellow Mud, is taken from a phrase the artist's mother spoke in the local dialect. On the morning of May 19, the artist received a WeChat message from her mother asking how she had been feeling. Her mother shared that she had dreamed of the artist covered from head to toe in yellow mud. In local belief, dreaming of a loved one covered in yellow mud suggests that the person may be under considerable stress or experiencing physical discomfort. Such dreams become a form of embodied connection between family members, revealing an intimate bond that transcends words.
Detail pictures:
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