Zilberman Gallery in Berlin is set to unveil Falling Carefully, a solo exhibition by Isaac Chong Wai, opening on September 7, 2024, with a performance event featuring a collaborative cast of artists. The exhibition runs until November 16 and presents a compelling exploration of the human experience through the lens of movement and choreography.
Chong’s artistic practice merges performative elements with painterly and sculptural mediums, showcasing a new series titled Rehearsed, Mirrored. In this series, he etches bodies in motion onto mirrors and glass panels, inviting viewers to reflect on the processes of image generation that occur in movement. The works resonate with themes of support and vulnerability, portraying falling not as a defeat but as an act intimately connected to human existence. Through careful intervention from sympathetic bystanders, Chong transforms the act of falling into a gesture of trust and collective resilience.
The exhibition will feature a video installation of Chong’s earlier performances, including Falling Exercise and Help! Help? Help., which delve into themes of racial aggression and institutional violence. Notably, Chong’s recent participation in the Venice Biennale showcases his innovative approach to choreography as a form of resistance.
Chong’s use of mirrors and glass serves as both material and motif, reflecting the dualities of transparency and illusion, vulnerability and resilience. By allowing the audience to compare their own movements to those of the figures depicted, he creates a dialogue that highlights the interconnectedness of human experiences. As viewers navigate the exhibition, they are invited to engage with the fluidity of movement and the cyclical nature of support and empathy.
Isaac Chong Wai, recognized as one of the top personalities in Berlin’s cultural scene, continues to captivate audiences with his thought-provoking explorations of identity and the human condition. With Falling Carefully, he promises to deliver an immersive experience that challenges perceptions and invites contemplation on the complexities of existence.
