"World Tangent" by Zheng Hongxiang
Welcome to World Tangent, a solo exhibition by Zheng Hongxiang exploring the philosophical themes of boundaries and exclusion. Through symbolic and evocative imagery, Zheng reflects on humanity's attempts to impose order on chaos while grappling with the fear of the unknown.
World Tangent by Zheng Hongxiang explores themes of boundaries, control, and exclusion. Featuring symbolic imagery like a man with a ruler and barbed wire in a mountainous landscape。
"Boundaries define us, but they also confine us. Zheng Hongxiang invites us to question where we draw the line."
Welcome to the online viewing room for World Tangent, a solo exhibition by Zheng Hongxiang. This exhibition delves into profound philosophical reflections on boundaries, exclusion, and control, expressed through the artist’s evocative and symbolic visual language.
In World Tangent, Zheng presents a series of tension-filled scenes that examine the intricate relationships between humanity, nature, and the "other." A signature piece from the exhibition features a man holding a ruler amidst a vast mountainous landscape, surrounded by coiled barbed wire forming an impassable boundary. This stark contrast symbolizes humanity’s effort to impose order and quantify chaos while simultaneously revealing a deep-seated fear of the unknown.
Through the depiction of tools, barriers, and environments, Zheng explores the metaphorical implications of measurement and control. The barbed wire, a recurring motif, represents restriction and exclusion while prompting broader reflections on cultural, ideological, and personal identity. The works invite viewers to confront humanity’s approaches to the unfamiliar, the other, and the natural world.
Renowned for his narrative intensity and philosophical depth, Zheng Hongxiang creates a space for both visual engagement and intellectual exploration. World Tangent examines the delicate balance between control and freedom, protection and isolation, urging viewers to reconsider the boundaries that define self and society.
We invite you to explore this thought-provoking exhibition and discover your own interpretations within its layers of meaning.
Symbolism and Interpretation
The man holding a ruler in a rugged landscape symbolizes humanity's attempt to control nature. The wire represents boundaries, reflecting cultural, ideological, or political divides. By creating barriers, the man asserts his identity, echoing Sartre’s concept of self in opposition to the other.
The painting also explores isolation, protection, and fear of the unknown, aligning with Heidegger’s "being-toward-death" and Nietzsche’s warning against insularity and the refusal to embrace new ideas.
