Gazelli Art House is delighted to announce RCA Graduate Wanqi Wang as winner of the 2023 edition of the Window Project.
Wanqi Wang engages finger tutting, a mode of expression involving the creation, manipulation, and exaggeration of intricate shapes using the wrists, hands, and fingers, as conduit for profound human connection that transcends language barriers. Via performance, videography, and photography, Wang harnesses the potency of non-verbal forms in conveying collective emotion and experience.
The artist will showcase a selection of stills taken from their filmed performance Chinese Women Philosophy. In an intricate tapestry woven from a rich collection of Chinese proverbs, Wang honours the sagacity and acumen attributed to Chinese women. The artist uses the medium of tutting to rejuvenate the subtle intricacies enmeshed within these proverbs that, preserved in their native Chinese language, would otherwise defy translation.
The performance tells of Waner, a young Asian girl venturing on a transformative odyssey to an unfamiliar realm, and her unearthing of intrinsic values. Navigating the trials of conforming to the norms dictated by a predominantly white society, Waner gradually relinquishes her connection to her genuine essence. Each digital frame and sequence from the film captures the nuances and motions of tutting dance, interwoven into the choreography that embodies the artist's vision. The digital imagery portrays the struggles, twists, and turns of the hand gestures, brought to life through dynamic lighting effects on the dancer's gloves. These visually arresting components heighten the narrative experience, immersing the spectators in a vivid visual expedition. Ultimately, Waner's ordeals and encounters lead her to a profound epiphany – genuine acceptance and esteem from others can solely be attained by embracing self-love and unwavering fidelity to her distinctive identity.
This narrative dance piece stands as a compelling artistic voyage into Asian women’s aesthetics, all the while sensitively tackling the intricate issue of cultural appropriation.
"Through the captivating and immersive nature of tutting, I aim to inspire contemplation, evoke emotions, and challenge traditional paradigms of communication.” – Wanqi Wang.
