February (3)

Untitled

Sculptures by Ma Jia

The solo exhibition of the Chinese artist MaJia at ggg – gallery gundula gruber is showing her sculptural work, divided into two parts.

On the left side of the gallery one big work made of 12 steel beams is located combined with three small pieces and a plate, that is fixed on the wall. The triangular shape of the gallery roof reminds of a church-like situation where the square plate on the back wall functions like a mystical cross. The drilled holes in the surface of the three small pieces are reminding of gunshots. The steel beams are also placed in a square emanating the aura of a memorial by its monumental presence. Not explicit but present is a latent feeling of violence, loss and remembrance to circumvent the attempt to forget something not mentioned and kept in secrecy.

On the right side of the gallery the sculpture in the middle describes a door surrounded by three shaped steel tubes placed in three corners.

A square, a long, narrow plate and a small mirrored t-shaped piece are placed on the walls around the door-like sculpture.Despite their heavy weight, they seem to hang effortlessly on the wall as freed from gravity. The setting in the gallery is quoting the stage design for the Russian Futurist opera „Victory over the Sun“ made by Kazimir Malevich initiating his Suprematist phase. The opera tells the story of a time traveler who is reporting of a changed society in the 35th century that is living without violence (Gundula Gruber).

More information: https://www.majia.at/