‘红 (red) by Theodosius Ng’ 黄振康, Exhibition Essay (2024)
Written by Mia Palmer-Verevis红, (hóng) ‘red’ in Chinese, offers a deeply introspective and forward-looking exploration of identity, personal growth, and transformation. Drawing from the artist’s upbringing in a Chinese-Catholic household, this exhibition is a reclamation of cultural, religious, and personal themes—touching on queerness, chronic illness, and mental health—as they intersect with the artist's evolving practice.
The artist's evolving relationship with clay mirrors this larger theme of transformation. Moving away from traditional functional ceramics, the works embrace more sculptural, conceptual forms, challenging ideas of permanence and fragility. The process of creation—shaped by the artist’s experience of chronic pain and a growing acceptance of change—becomes as important as the final pieces themselves. There is an invitation to reflect on the beauty of letting go, the shifting nature of identity, and the delicate balance between control and surrender.
This exhibition captures a moment of unexpected and profound evolution, where the boundaries between form and function, past and future, are fluid and constantly redefined.