Song Kun (b. 1977, Beijing), one of China’s most prominent young female artists, paints with a kind of wistful desire, as the figures portrayed in her works seem to hover in a dream world both familiar and fantastic. In “A Thousand Kisses Deep”, Song Kun’s works are shimmering, technical studies of drifting light and explore a sinister, sensual beauty. Human forms and jellyfish tendrils slowly glimmer, as a sense of silence pervades the shadowy rooms and ocean depths. Arrayed across the twin walls of UCCA’s Nave, one group of paintings explores the quiet properties of natural materials, while another ventures into the realm of carnality. An immersive video installation situated at the end of the exhibition and a multimedia performance on the opening day, June 2, expand the exhibition’s scope. In this exhibition, Song Kun distances herself from earlier, narrative-driven work and enters a reserved, wavering reality.

For more information, please read the “Song Kun: A Thousand Kisses Deep” press release.