EVENT DESCRIPTION
Interdisciplinary artist Cheng YANG will present her solo exhibition Flow into Roots from April 10 to April 23, 2025, at Fringe Club in Central, Hong Kong. Featuring a series of recent works, the exhibition explores Hong Kong’s incense culture, using incense as a medium to examine its connections to the environment, cultural heritage, and personal identity. It also raises awareness of the conservation of the Aquilaria sinensis (incense tree) in Hong Kong.
Through artistic interpretation, she documents and reflects on the historical narratives and contemporary evolution of incense culture. This exhibition creates an immersive narrative that intertwines nature, history, and tradition, guiding audiences to explore the deeper meanings embedded in incense practices across time and space.
The exhibition is divided into two chapters. Chapter 1: Floating Smoke and Shadows uses interactive installation, video and drawings. Exploring the religious beliefs and cultural symbolism behind incense rituals, enquiring the interplay between the material and immaterial. Chapter 2: Incense and Incense Trees uses installation and documentary to explore the ecological challenges posed by incense burning and the growth cycle of Aquilaria sinensis.
Flow into Roots is not merely an art exhibition; it is a thought-provoking dialogue on cultural heritage and environmental preservation. It invites audiences to reconsider the dynamic relationships between humanity and nature, tradition and innovation, and to explore new possibilities for incense culture in contemporary contexts.
