Before the end of 2019, the square dance has always symbolized the peaceful and prosperous times of social cooperation and folk happiness. "Shuffle" has been the most common square dance in various places. "Shuffle" originally means "glide without leaving the ground", "stagger walking" and "shuffling cards". In the 1980s, ”Shuffle Dance" originated in Melbourne, Australia, and was a dance step developed to cater to the electronic music that was popular all over the world at that time. Because of its light and elegant dance steps, it was once popular all over the world after 2008.
It was in 2018 that Daniel Lee decided to produce a high-realistic, high-resolution animated short movie with his 3D team in New York. The content of the short film is two little pigs wearing dance costume (image was from his work "Dancers” of Harvest series 2006) on the stage with the function of Floating Projection to perform "Shuffle" dance.
The entrance of the exhibition hall was arranged as if coming to a luxurious theater. Oncoming from the entrance is the wall with brief artist statement and icon image. On the podium in front of the wall, there is an 80 cm high 3D print of a pig-human like dancer titled "Mary" it poses as Marilyn Monroe standing on the wind hole. She is the protagonist of the performance "Shuffle Dance".
Enter the theater through the red curtains of the entrance. In the middle of the theater is a circular stage surrounded by red velvet curtains. The two dancers on the stage were immersed in the dance steps following the simple and relaxing music rhythm. There is a large red sofa in front of the stage that softly raised by a overhead dim. On the walls of both sides are several still prints of "square dance".
The special projecting requires a high-resolution, high-lumen, wide-angle projector connected to a computer and high-wattage audio equipment. The technology of floating projection is used to give the audience a more three-dimensional and real phantom.
The outbreak of the epidemic in 2020 brought an end to our "peaceful and ideal” period of the world. What replaces is the most serious and widespread disaster of all emergencies of our time. While walking into the black hole of hope, it also ignites our wit to re-examine ourselves and seek creation, just as philosopher Nssan once said: "Our soul can be purified by tragedy..." The pressure also could activate the artist's imagination, and at the same time it matches Daniel Lee’s growth in adversity and turning helplessness into innovation.
In this section of works, Lee launched two groups of images. The first part is a group of 15 digital composite images which combined together to synthesize a large-scale 192X440 cm mural, titled “Deformation”. “Deformation” includes the meaning of “distortion” and “out of control”. There are also negative meanings of turning into "chaos" and "corruption” etc. The second part of work that correspond to each other are around 22 pieces individual works in variational size installed on a wall against or aside “Deformation” titled “Shuffle” which shows images and concepts under the endless impact of “variant”.
In addition to the “Deformation” and “Transformation”, Daniel Lee has also completed another three-dimensional figure "Mothman". This combination of human and moth hybrid symbolizes the "deformation" and "degeneration" of the great plague. On the other hand, her "golden body" also has "out of control" to re-establish a variant with "antibodies" and hopes.
The output of "Mothman" will be a 3D print with a height of 98 cm. The golden statue will stand in the center of the exhibition hall, hoping that it will leave the viewer with a positive energy.
Curator｜Hwei-lan Chang
Exhibition｜2021.12.11—2022.01.23
Opening｜12.11（六）15:00
Venue｜Da Xin Art Museum1F、2F
Organizer｜Da Xin Art Museum
Co-organizer｜YIART 、Akui Museum
Subsidy Unit｜Ministry of Culture Taiwan