Lin Tianmiao

The last artist I'll blog about from yesterday's trip to the art district is Lin Tianmiao's solo exhibit "Mother's!"

It was an experience. First you had to wait in line because a limited amount of people were allowed in at once. Once you got to the front of the line, you had to sit down, take off your shoes, and put on blue fabric booties that had upturned pointed toes like elf shoes. Then, when it was your turn, you entered passing through two cream silk curtains and given a laminated map of the space. The whole space including the ground we walked on was molded into smooth curves and hills and covered with white silk squares. All around were miniature bodies of women, none of them with proper heads, and all of them in the middle of an action.
They too were made with white silk and many of them had fine silk hairs flowing from their bodies.
One of the bodies was split in two with balls of silk spilling out of both ends.
Another was bent over picking up or setting down silk pods.
Other bodies were:
crawling up a mirror.
walking on the floor with a thick mass of hair flowing from her neck to the ceiling.
stretched out on a table with a dog-like animal on either end hovering over her.
had electronics flowing from her neck onto a round table she sat on, surrounded by obscure electronic parts and cords.
Then there was a hill you had to carefully walk over, taking care not to slip on the incline of silk fabric. To help was a Chinese man saying 'man zou' (walk slowly/carefully) who took your hand to help. Over the hill and around a smooth corner there was a room of hanging silk balls, all hanging at different lengths.
I haven't mentioned all of the bodies, but some of the pictures are of those missing from my description.

It was such a surreal space to walk around and I'm glad it had limited numbers at once because it felt intended for intimacy and calm; it allowed for the open space that preserved the purity of an all white silk room.

Here is a website about him and his work: http://www.longmarchspace.com/lintianmiao/li-07/e-index.html

My impression of the work is that it gives us as viewers a chance to sympathize with the crises and difficulties of a mother. Also, to recognize the variant qualities and roles a woman has, as well as remember the purity associated with womanhood.
I honestly have no clue what the intent of his work is. I'm going to go read about it now.