Although the West Bund Art & Design Fair in Shanghai has just ended, it remains a hot topic.

Among the highlights was Zhou Meng's solo exhibition "i" at Quantum Gallery's booth. 

This exhibition uniquely presented a series of sculptural installations in the form of spatial scrolls,

filled with mystery and philosophical thinking,

inspired by the ancient Egyptian myth of the i of Horus.

Quantum Gallery booth featuring Zhou Meng's solo exhibition "i" (left: "i: staring star", right: "Flowers of Evil" series)

West Bund Art & Design Fair, 2020

Residing in London, Zhou Meng is an "alchemist" who enjoys combining various materials,

especially having a fondness for paper materials.

Based on his years of experience in paper-based creation,

he introduced a series of papier-mâché works created during the pandemic quarantine.

Personally involved in curating the booth,

Zhou Meng achieved a leap from two-dimensional to three-dimensional,

further exploring the ambiguous relationship between painting and sculpture.

In these special times, his works embody the instinct of returning to nature's cyclical process,

philosophical reflections on the interaction between materials and their space-time,

contemporary interpretations of Eastern and Western mythological stories,

and a touch of youthful rebellion and humor.

Quantum Gallery booth featuring Zhou Meng's solo exhibition "i" (left: "Flowers of Evil" series, right: "i of Horus Fisch")

West Bund Art & Design Fair, 2020

As one of the new generation artists participating in West Bund this year,

Zhou Meng is a representative of the emerging young forces.

Choosing to debut with a solo exhibition at this fair was a bold attempt and challenge for both the gallery and the artist.

artnet News interviewed this artist who seeks dialogue with all things,

listening to his creative journey and exhibition highlights.

Q：What inspired you to create the "i" series？

A：My creative inspiration came from the ancient Egyptian guardian god Horus.

According to legend, one of his eyes is the sun, and the other, injured in battle, became the moon.

When both eyes are closed, humans can do bad things because the gods are not watching.

"i" aims to express the relationship between humans and nature,

a mutual dependency and observation, without a single or uniform conclusion.

We are protected and also protectors.

Whether it’s the pandemic or the current state of nature, it mostly reflects our excesses.

I intended to combine Horus' myth with a wordplay: "Eye of Horus" can be changed to "I of Horus,"

making the exhibition's English title a pun.

"Eye" and "I" sound similar, turning it into "I am the guardian god."

Quantum Gallery booth featuring Zhou Meng's solo exhibition "i" (foreground: "i" series, background: "Great Chapter" series)

 West Bund Art & Design Fair, 2020

Q：The papier-mâché material used in your works is quite unique. Can you elaborate on it？

A：I used to do a lot of paper-based painting,

storing some half-finished paper works that I couldn’t continue.

It felt wasteful to discard them, so I combined them with canvas, like a handmade Photoshop.

Papier-mâché and paper clay in my works originate from childhood games of tearing and remaking paper.

The ratio of paper pulp to soil varies, creating unique textures.

Discussing with the curator about the main differences between painting and drawing,

I had the urge to "vindicate" paper:

what if I painted on canvas with paper? 

In production, organic and inorganic materials gently merge,

influenced by humidity, temperature, and UV light, fading over time to become color and texture.

This process resembles a ritual or nature worship.

Zhou Meng, "Great Chapter 10"

mixed media

 70 x 50 cm

2019

The works also use other interesting materials,

such as sturdy red willow from the northwest, often used for skewers by vendors.

British willow, thin and flexible, is commonly used in gardening.

These differences are striking.

During London’s quarantine, I cleaned the garden daily, collecting many branches and leaves for sculptures.

Each object experiences the seasons, leaving its final shape as a testament to its life.

Q：So, are these works based on your continuous attention to nature？

A：Not so much attention as an instinctual return to nature.

We are inherently connected to nature, but sometimes we forget this "skin-to-skin" connection.

Quantum Gallery booth featuring Zhou Meng's solo exhibition "i" (left: "i: Eye," right: "CH Air")

West Bund Art & Design Fair, 2020

Q：The "i" series marks a breakthrough from two-dimensional to three-dimensional.

Why did you make this attempt？

A：It stems from contemplating technique itself; sculpture is painting, and painting is sculpture.

I intended to turn paper into flat sculptures,

so some angles are not very three-dimensional, 

aiming for two-dimensional paintings to become three-dimensional sculptures and then return to painting,

creating a dialogue between works and space.

In this exhibition, I focused more on planar presentation;

the front and back of the sculptures have narrative qualities.

During installation, I noticed the shadows were also interesting,

playing a visual game where what you see might not be what you think.

Observing, the audience follows the set trajectory to understand.

Zhou Meng, "i of Horus Fisch" 

basil, wormwood, papier-mâché, clay, stainless steel, aluminum, PVA, acrylic, India ink, resin

110 x 62 x 206 cm

2020

Q：Why did you choose the path of an artist？

A：I’ve always been in a state of desiring the unknown.

Being fixed in a job or repetitive tasks is unappealing, as I already envision the final picture.

If it’s predictable, I won’t do it.

Being an artist involves many unknown factors and remains in an open state.

For example,

I long resided in London but now am an artist-in-residence at the Peace Hotel in Shanghai.

The future is uncertain;

I go where needed.

As a young artist, most of the time, I am chosen.

For today’s youth,

some see artists as rare,

with minimal societal acceptance and recognition, 

but that shouldn’t kill the freedom to pursue art.

This structure may adjust, extending new things.

Art constantly expands its definition, requiring boundary-breakers.

 I’m already part of the previous wave,

doing handcrafted work compared to high-tech,

creating something still considered playful.

Zhou Meng, "i of Horus Eye"

archival, papier-mâché, clay, stainless steel, aluminum, PVA, acrylic, India ink, resin

86 x 71 x 186 cm

2020

Q：What new attempts do you plan to make in your future creations？

A：Continuing to experiment with materials.

I’m curious about interactions between human behavior and industrial products.

Next, I want to bring a car door and cover it with papier-mâché.

The drying process is slow, allowing the metal to rust, enriching the artwork.

My creative intention might be to play,

gaining new insights through past knowledge and experiences,

returning to the story’s origin,

a continuous cycle.

Using different materials is a new attempt.

At West Bund, one work featured an inverted chair growing thorns,

like new growth from dead wood, called "CH air."

The Chinese character for "chair" (椅) includes "wood" (木) and "odd" (奇),

resembling an upside-down chair.

Being humorous as an artist is better.

Zhou Meng, "Staring star" 

osmanthus, papier-mâché, clay, stainless steel, aluminum, PVA, acrylic, India ink, resin

195 x 170 x 39 cm

2020

Written by Yi Zhang