What happens when a seeds millenary, like theglass engraving, meets the interiority of a contemporary globe-trotter artist? A profound dialogue is established between matter and memory, between artisanal gesture and intimate reflection.
This is the heart of Wu Yue's artistic research, protagonist of an exhibition that explores the role of glass engraving as tool for telling identity and memory.
Until June 8th, the Gallery Number51 of viale Caldara in Milan hosts “Illusion City”, the first Italian solo exhibition of the Chinese artist, a visual journey that investigates glass as an expressive medium and emotional archive.
Descendant of a family of master engravers, Wu Yue inherited from his training in China – in the museum founded by his grandfather – the mastery of traditional techniques. Following numerous trips and the move to Paris, his artisanal language is charged with an autobiographical and identity-related meaning.
Glass engraving as an affective geography
The exhibition is populated by a series of works obtained through the technique of glass engraving, combined with the superposition of blue-green plates, which recall the structure of the cities that have marked the artist's life. On these surfaces, delicate incisions tell stories, memories and emotions connected to places. It is a subtle, almost invisible work, which invites the viewer to get closer to grasp the complexity hidden beneath the surface. Each plate thus becomes a piece of experience, an investigation into the stratification of memory.
The exhibition also features works of traditional inspiration, such as the imposing plate decorated with nine dragons, executed according to the classical aesthetic codes of Chinese glass art.
The encounter between contemporary forms and ancient cultural references generates a fascinating short circuit. Glass becomes a bridge between generations and civilizations, telling a lot about the intimate gesture as the collective heritage.
The gallery project
“Illusion City” is not only a solo exhibition, but also a significant experience of the curatorial project of Galleria Numero51, which has always been committed to promoting Asian artists.
The gallery's site-specific approach perfectly matches Wu Yue's vision, which through glass engraving reflects on the transformation of identity in a global world and on art as a tool to rework memory.
Source: ilgiornaledellarte.com
