Breath under Masks
Shih Yung-Chun Solo Exhibition (Line Gallery · Shanghai)
2021.10.01 - 11.08

Facing the world disorder, we have developed a new daily regime. No matter how much we long for fresh air, we put on a mask and keep our inhalation and exhalation inside it. Over time, we become as oxygen deprived as if we were hyperventilating. Under the ‘new housing rules’, animals didn’t get infected, so they replaced humans and were wandering around. The dining table, which could no longer be shared with others, eventually became a stage for self-appreciation. The captive guinea pigs were living in separated floors to maintain a safe social distance. When I looked at myself in the mirror, the apparently polite expressions were a patchwork. Before we are forced to a restricted new mode of existence, I'm still playing the role who resists hyperventilating in the mirror, not willing to show the face to others, to build a safe home with sufficient oxygen.