Yumoi Zheng and Isadora Lao
23 March - 19 April
always love xxx is an exhibition through Yumoi zheng and Isadora Lao’s stories. A core focus within this body of work is connection: location, family, queer identity, love and how these overlap.
I will always love you. I will always love you, always love you, almost like a whisper gone with the wind. Love will be as gentle as the wind surrounding you, and at the same time, it will swallow you up like a storm. The ‘wind’ simulation in the gallery space will not recreate the intensity of the confrontation between our love expressions; it won’t destroy or hit you with sadness and hurt as it would if it were real. Through the retelling of the story, we are redefining our imagination of love and finding love.
Live on TEAMS
Sunday 7th April - 2pm
Join us for an online talk with artists Yumoi Zheng (China), Isadora Lao (Aotearoa) and Angel C Fitzgerald (Aotearoa).
“I was working on my series of ‘video call’ films, and thoughts came together in the conversation between my family and friends. In the years, I’ve lived in Aotearoa and learned so much from the people and communities. All those experiences have led me through the turmoils of being different. Me and Izzi used to live in the same house together for 2 years, we share the same communities but have different backgrounds. As a result of this encounter, we have always wanted to do a project together in the art space. Our queerness and Asianness interweave together through our creative practice.
Always Love xxx will have a combination of works that reflect our relationships with our family and chosen family and our identity. There is a strong theme of water and seas as it follows our theme of distance and islands and being in/from Aotearoa while having relations and family across the sea in China.
Always Love was inspired by the song Whitney Houston's song ‘I Will Always Love You’ and the words “我永远爱着你“ from my mother. I always remember this song has been sung a million times. It's a blessing and the perfect song to say goodbye to a loved one. The worlds itself explain unconditional love. Although it may not exist in reality, there is a prevailing belief that the intrinsic love within living beings can be deemed unconditional.
It makes me think of signing off a message to a loved one but actually meaning it. When I think of always love, I always think of unconditional love. It is almost like a faith and a hope. Although somewhat like an imagination exists in this reality, it's an indispensable instinct for everyone. “
Always Love xxx - Yumoi
