Jacky Tsai: A Journey of All and None — Opening at MOCAUP, Shenzhen
Opening celebrations and behind the scenes at Jacky Tsai’s Shenzhen museum exhibition
31st Oct 2023
MOCAUP, Shenzhen, China
Exhibition opening film. Film by Sky Express Creations (天顺上创).
Spanning 1,800 square metres at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAUP), Shenzhen, A Journey of All and None marked Jacky Tsai’s most extensive and comprehensive retrospective exhibition to date. Bringing together more than forty works across nearly two decades, it involved the longest preparation period of any of his exhibitions, occupied his largest exhibition space and presented the greatest number of works and the broadest range of his practice yet assembled in a single show.
The exhibition was conceived as a systematic survey of Tsai’s evolving visual language, tracing connections between painting, sculpture, lacquer carving, wood carving, Su embroidery, animation, augmented reality and interactive digital art. Its ambitious scale was realised through sustained planning, substantial production resources and the generous support of its sponsors and collaborators.
A quick walkthrough of the exhibition.
Seven interconnected chapters shaped the journey: Digital Age: Oscillating Time explored animated and responsive images; Cultural Concord brought traditional Chinese craftsmanship into dialogue with Western Pop Art; A Journey Beyond led visitors through the recreated Tiger Express into an immersive world; The Rebirth of Images examined transformation and renewal; Chinese Illusions explored the relationship between images and perception; Parody of Jay’s Music centred on the eight-metre painting commissioned by Jay Chou; and Art of the Future considered new possibilities for participation through digital technology.
Bright, expansive galleries formed the exhibition’s principal setting, punctuated by sculptural encounters and an immersive environment of moving images, reflections and music. Together, these spaces offered a broad view of Tsai’s practice, from the material intricacy of crafted objects to the possibilities of digital experience.
The opening brought guests together for a reception and a tour led by Jacky Tsai and curator Erika Song, introducing the works and the ideas connecting the seven chapters.
Behind the Scenes — Installing the Exhibition
A short film follows the installation process, offering a glimpse of the work behind the finished galleries.
Explore the exhibition — seven chapters of A Journey of All and None →