Through the ‘dragon gate’: artist explores feng shui as an emblem for personal agency
- Artist is intrigued by the idea that a developer will forgo profit in favour of feng shui by creating a void in a building
- In a video, WangShui plays the mythical dragon flying through ‘dragon gates’
If you’ve lived in Hong Kong long enough, or have taken an interest in its architecture, chances are you’ve come across buildings with large holes.
A deliberate architectural feature known as “dragon gates”, these holes are commonly found in sea-facing structures and, according to feng shui, provide a passageway for the mythical dragon to reach the water. Said to initiate a positive flow of energy, the most prominent gateways are found in The Repulse Bay and Bel-Air in Cyberport – two residential complexes in the Southern district of Hong Kong Island.
A hallmark of local architecture and the object of curiosity, these dragon gates are, quite literally, at the centre of artist WangShui’s film From Its Mouth Came a River of High-End Residential Appliances, on view at Blindspot Gallery in Wong Chuk Hang as part of its exhibition “Holy Mosses”.
Featuring art by eight female or gender non-binary artists, the group show explores gender fluidity, of which WangShui’s film is a highlight. But what do “dragon gates”, feng shui and architecture have to do with gender fluidity?
WangShui explores the significance of fluid identities through restaging architectural elements, live subjects, and everyday objects. The film takes viewers on a journey of self-discovery: unravelling the complexities of gender, ethnicity, identity through ancient practices, mythology, and the literal frame of Hong Kong’s unique architecture.