If we perceive the world through the lens of sight, then visualising memory becomes a journey of chasing dreams. This exhibition features the most important works of visual artist Xu Xiaowei from the past decade. Using nonlinear storytelling and modern visual language, he rebuilds the space of memory. The people, objects, events, and spacetime captured through his lens may seem absurd, yet they reveal the underlying truths of the post-internet age in their strangeness. In the play of shadows and light, Xu Xiaowei’s personal memories and the spirit of the times flicker and intertwine—humans and the world merge yet remain alien to each other, making the present as much like the past as possible.

In Xu Xiaowei’s mnemonic space, the texture of light and shadow, the narrative of the lens, and the interplay of figures create a dynamic potential and field, allowing the works to interact with the audience and environment like quantum entanglement.

Renowned international photography master Roger Ballen once remarked with genuine admiration upon viewing Xu Xiaowei’s works: “Ultimately, Xiaowei’s work admirably embodies the complexities of modern Chinese culture, revealing the interplay between tradition and progress, absurdity and reality. Within the framework of collective memory. Through this lens, I find not only kinship with the artist but also a mirror reflecting my own artistic journey.”

It is hoped that this exhibition will offer the audience a glimpse of a particular collective visual memory of this era, sparking resonance and illuminating the brilliance of humanity and hope amidst the absurdity of existence.

— Joshua Gong