Third Realm
SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2020
Third realm.
COVID-19 has changed how we view the world and how we engage with one another. But even before it spread around the world, artists have been questioning our actions, our understanding of reality and our relation with each other, this realm and the next. The Polygon museum, one of my favorite museums in Vancouver, dedicates their space to photography and other related mediums. Recently they revealed a new exhibit: Third Realm. This exhibit is a compilation of different artists' work made in Asia from 2004-2019. From Yang Zhenzhong’s magnified series Extra of people laughing and being cheerful (on command) to Cao Fei’s photographs that blur and question the lines of reality and the virtual, this exhibit has something for everyone.
I personally found it to be interesting, inspiring and fun. Although I enjoyed the works of many artists, I truly connected with the work of Heman Chong. In what I dare say is an unforgettable piece - Monument to the people we’ve conveniently forgotten (I hate you), Chong’s work is found within an enclosed space paired with the work of FX Harsono, Writing in the rain. As you enter the room, you begin to step on one of the million black business cards scattered across the floor. Chong encourages you to walk over the cards and asks you to engage with the art as you see fit. After reading the description of this piece, which questions consumerism and waste and the purpose of it all, I thought of my own personal experience as a PhD student and all the papers we’ve read and all the business cards we’ve exchanged? What purpose does it all really serve? Do you really keep all the cards you receive? Is it really important to have your name spread about to then be forgotten and discarded? As my friend and I walked over the cards, we felt the need to slip, slide, dance and kick. It was as if we were children in a ball pit and we felt alive. Interestingly enough, this exhibit was scheduled to be seen prior to COVID-19 and was since pushed back. I think the new timing is actually quite fitting for the new realm we live in now. I highly recommend a visit to The Polygon to see the Third Realm. In addition, the Polygon offers free tours which are super informative and which I took part in. I will definitely be back to revisit the Third Realm before it’s gone in November.
Written by : Liza Navarro
Photographs by: Liza Navarro @lizanav.photo
Featured: @polygongallery