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"Yewn Residence 2040"

 

In 2020, Yewn’s creative vision of living with Chinese culture was expressed through a collaborative work with the ink painter Eunice Cheung. Entitled ‘Yewn Residence 2040’, it projects his family some two decades in time, placing them in an idyllic garden setting. The patriarch is seated in his studio surrounded by antiquarian objects, while his wife and daughter are seated outside watching his grandchildren at play. Fitted western clothing has been ditched and replaced by hanfu, and there is a distinctive absence of technology. The air is festive as a jazz band plays in the background. Closer observation reveals an intriguing accumulation of signs: some referencing set themes in Chinese visual culture, while others are instantly recognizable as iconic objects from the imperial collections or connected to Yewn’s body of work, yet more are playful puzzles that interfere with our understanding of the forward movement of time. Is this painting anachronistic or futuristic? Why are there seals from the famous emperors (Taizong from the Tang dynasty, Huizong from the Northern Song dynasty and Kangxi from the Qing dynasty)? While there are no certain answers, it leaves the painting open for the viewer to construct their own 2040 storyline. 

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Dr. Hwang Yin

Department of Chinese Studies

National University of Singapore