“Liao Fei: Physics Temple”, a joint presentation by Vanguard Gallery and Tihho Art Space, will be on view from June 3 through August 12 at the two gallery spaces, featuring a series of sculptures and the artist’s signature paper-based works. “Physics Temple” showcases Liao Fei’s latest investigation on Buddhist objects and rituals during his residency in Tibet at the invitation of Tihho in 2022. This exhibition continues with his long-term practice based on the substance of material and revolves around everyday objects that could be interpreted as portals into the world of metaphysics.

“Physics Temple” consists of two intertwined chapters. The sculpture series “Chiral Extent”, exhibited at Vanguard Gallery, is a formal experiment inspired by gestural communication both in the spiritual realm and among scientific research: in Buddhist art and practice, a variety of hand gestures termed “mudra” are employed to convey specific ritual connotations; while in modern science, handedness, denominated as left or right “chirality”, defines an asymmetrical object which cannot be superimposed onto its mirror image. In either case, the use of hands has facilitated human conception of existences far beyond cognition. Liao Fei demonstrates his conceptual principle by showcasing variations of hand constructions following a deductive sequence, unveiling metaphysical temperament contained in everyday materials; The other series “Circle Grant” displayed at Vanguard also takes “left-hand” and “right-hand” as the base variables, folding rectangular sheets in half to produce a multitude of circles through varying combinations of left and right cuts. These cut patterns mirror conventional Tibetan designs that merge straight lines and circles in an alternate fashion.

The intersection of spiritual ideas and everyday life extends to Tihho Art Space, where origami pieces titled “Partially Obscured Circles”, encompass equally sized square sheets of paper with silver acrylic circles folded and rotated according to microscopic combination rules. Through the dimension-transforming folding process, an abstract pattern becomes apparent, suggesting a divine revelation; Along with this series is “Intersection”, which extracts overlapped areas of Chinese characters suggesting the secular name of Buddha ‘Siddhartha’ and his three bodies “Shakyamuni”, “Locanabuddha”, and “Vairocana”; The “30 Types of Color” series, in like manner, showcases the variations of the same color in display when printed or projected on varied media. Colors of the same code are printed on a range of paper materials, emphasizing the subtle differences that create a unique and fleeting experience for viewers when passing by.

Words, colors, geometric shapes, and hand gestures, as ordinary and concrete as they might seem, are proof of the human being’s never-ending effort in envisaging a world beyond the horizon or within ourselves. Liao manages to manifest intricate shapes out of mere geometric elements which resemble inexplicable or spiritual relics found on various religious sites. All while delving into these broader concepts, Liao’s creation begins with the mundane. Through various schools of scientific and mathematical thinking, Liao delves into the deeper aspects of everyday objects, unveiling their inherent metaphysical imageries.