Yarli Allison
木-目，目-人
Wood-Eye, Eye-Human, 2016
Interactive Performance, steel, leather, wood, two projected videos
Length from 5 - 15 mins 
 
All work and photographs © Yarli Allison

Yarli Allison

  • About the artist

    To learn more about the artist, please click here

     

    Click here to get an overview of all works by Yarli Allison

  • About the work

    Words exist as symbols. 
    If words are a form of abstraction, and meanings are given based on gradual evolution, can symbols be interpreted by one’s own association in today’s world?

    Wood-Eye, Eye-Human is an interactive performance based on the original meaning of the symbols in the Chinese term 相見. 

    相見
    “meeting/seeing each other”
    often used as an expression of “knowing / feeling one another”


    In languages derived from Ancient Chinese (Oracle bone script), components of 相見 appear pictographic as the combination of 木+目+目+人 (Wood + Eye + Eye + Human). 
    When an eye and a wood (tree) come together (木+目), “interaction / mutuality” forms the character 相. In a similar graphical sense, the character 見  is combined with an eye (目) sitting on top of the human (人) with legs kneeling down forms “seeing / meeting”.

    Audiences are invited to participate in the performance 
    by positioning pieces of wood onto the metal rod with the aim of aligning the two eyes consistently for 5-15 minutes.

     

    (source: artist website)

     

    Read more about this work in the interview with Yarli Allison on Art Springboard