Human relationships are at the very foundation of Wang Man’s work. This mode of creative thinking appears to question the “emotional nature” of commercialism—the warmth of advertisements seen on TV. With the fervent expressions in the eyes of those advertising these products, they add “natural” value to the products in which they are marketing. This widespread phenomenon infiltrates the realm of personal feelings, arousing vigilance to an even greater degree. However, within the exhibition, “Foreworld” such feelings of anxiety and alienation are not the only themes. Wang Man amalgamates the “true revealing of one’s inner feelings” and “ulterior motives” together, restoring or transforming this phenomenon, rather than passing judgment over the object itself. The artist investigates the similarities between image and emotion, or to describe in more exact terms, similarities between images, which have been recorded by visual media as well as the visual transmission of emotion. Infused with rich metaphorical meaning, specific notions of identity within each work in the exhibition are erased (he no longer appears to play a role in the work, and the actor’s face is also deliberately cut out of the camera frame). Anonymous bodies, anonymous animals, and anonymous plant matter appear within the artist’s observations and interest in details of daily life, while also revealing the energy of universal minute emotions which are often contained. Through his new series of work, he forms a well-developed thread through the exhibition. Thus, “Foreworld” this bold and grand phrase appropriately titles the exhibition.
