Luster of a Dream Unearthed presents a series of mixed-media drawings reimagining Chinese aesthetic traditions through the lens of queer diaspora. These pieces depict figures composed alongside artifacts of Chinese culture, such as folding screens, jade pendants, scholar's stone, and landscape paintings. In this illusory world, the forms of the figure and the artifacts respond surreally to one another- merging in dreamlike ways. The figure’s concealed emotions are projected onto the space around them, which both consumes and embraces the figure. These vivid yet restless scenes reveal a complex tension with their inherited history. All these pieces began with drawings and silhouette cutouts that Ni continuously rearranged to experiment with composition. By exploring the visual relationships among these forms, Ni seeks to uncover subconscious symbolisms between the figure and artifacts. The show will contemplate the hidden queer stories lost in our conception of history and compel viewers to reflect on our connections to culture and tradition.
