K11 MUSEA POP-UP: YUANSU BY REN RI

Hong Kong－Pearl Lam Galleries is pleased to present Ren Ri: Yuansu, a pop-up exhibition of unique beeswax sculptures by Beijing-based artist Ren Ri at K11 MUSEA. Ren Ri (b. 1984) works in the unique medium of beeswax, creating, in collaboration with the insects, mesmerizing sculptures that document his intimate experience with bees as both an artist and a beekeeper. He manipulates the movement of bees and the formation of honeycombs to create metaphysical and hybrid sculptures, which investigate the force of nature and consequences of human intervention.

On view is Yuansu II, in which Ren has created a series of stunning geometrical sculptures by manipulating bee behaviour. Ren places a queen bee in the middle of a box, while the worker bees start to build natural beehives around her. Every seven days, Ren randomly changes the position of the box, like rolling dice, to create a living object. These organic sculptures embody a new belief system, one that symbolizes new metaphysical qualities and forms of life itself.

The narrative flow is broken down into different sections. Upon entering the exhibition, viewers are greeted by documentary videos to familiarize them with the artist. The videos are followed by an elevated 3.5 m wide wooden square platform for showcasing the Yuansu II series in its entirety to accentuate the architectonic aspect of the sculptures and to invite a comparative reading of the beeswax sculptures and their details. The formation of the sculpture is much more liberal and unexpected. The bees are creating their utopia so to speak. With a high ceiling and an interesting panoramic backdrop of a dense metropolis and natural landscape, the venue is perfect for presenting Yuansu and inviting audiences to ponder the relationships between nature and the man-made environment.