Fast forward 28 years, ‘Yewn Residence 2068’ presents a very different picture. Yewn worked with Lewis Lau to conceptualize this work. Painted in heavy oils with a somber palette, it is a dystopian and subterranean world echoing the isolation experienced by many due to the pandemic and war in 2022. Unlike the deeply personal ‘2024’ which is an homage to Chinese culture, Yewn’s past work and his love of family, ‘2068’ is a commentary on the impact of climate change and the industries of the future that will dominate in China. The aggregation of signs, mostly in the form of corporate logos, are well integrated into the painting, some more easily spotted than others. It signals the rise of companies invested in artificial intelligence, biotechnology and agriculture. The penguin with the red scarf is instantly recognizable as QQ the brand mascot for Tencent’s messaging platform, encouraging the viewer to look for more logos. In many instances, they help to amplify the story. 

 

The four figures depicted¾Yewn’s daughter, a polar bear, a penguin and Eve in the garden of Eden¾do not interact with each other. The daughter, dressed in a robe that is decorated with the WeChat logo, is looking intensely at her Huawei laptop, while a device that looks like a teacup is streaming her health data; isolated on a rocky outcrop, it is no longer the human touch that connects. How did the polar bear arrive at the door? The matrix of binary code beyond the door, together with logo of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) at the door handle, suggest that teleporting is a real possibility. Life underground is viable as wheat can be cultivated and the plum tree blossoms. Across the stream through which TikTok flows is Eve reaching out for the apple, only to find it no longer has the signature one bite but now there are three. Beside the exuberant flourish of the 支character in Alipay’s logo on Eve’s sash, and the upward pointing arrows of the CNSA on her dress, the apple looks much diminished.    

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Dr. Hwang Yin

Department of Chinese Studies

National University of Singapore