Antenna Space is pleased to announce our participation at Art Basel Miami 2023, featuring the works by artists Owen Fu, Stanislava Kovalcikova, Mire Lee, Nancy Lupo, Evelyn Taocheng Wang and Zhou Siwei at booth B63.

Zhou Siwei’s 2023 work, Tattoo (Drifting Flame Malevich), is a continuation of his tattoo series. In the series, the artist is exploring the use of the most intimate canvas – the human skin – as a medium to weave culture, art, and history into a legendary personal narrative. Tattoo (Drifting Flame Malevich), incorporates Chinese characters liulang 流浪, “drifting” into a suprematist painting by Malevich. The text and abstract graphics are then grounded back into the real world through popular tattoos (in this case a tribal design). The back-and-forth tension in contante is akin to the scratch marks on the painting’s surface, or skin. It depicts a person who takes “global drifting” or nomadism as a life creed, as a person caught up in a dilemma in a foreign land. Perhaps suprematism, combined with the warmth of flames, is the most powerful talisman for all drifters.

Mire Lee’s sculptures, crafted from styrofoam encased in concrete, echo the poignant verses of Korean poet Kim Eon Hee. In the context in which they were originally installed, these wall sculptures resonate with the vivid imagery of the body and excrement found in Kim’s poetry. Lee’s work dissects the humiliation and injuries endured by women under patriarchy. She depicts an eye, an open mouth, bruises and wounds, labia, vagina, a hole. These elements serve as stark symbols of the female experience. The materials used in her sculptures present an intriguing dichotomy – on the surface, they appear strong, yet they harbor vulnerability within. This juxtaposition conveys a profound sense of depletion and futility.

Nancy Lupo’s Untitled 2023 work initiates a dialogue between her evolving Teller and Crown series. Both series incorporate objects that evoke childhood memories, yet they subtly hint at adult-driven economic interests and values beneath their innocent facade. The Teller series draws inspiration from temporary tent structures, reminiscent of the origami fortune-telling games played by children. However, it also alludes to the role of a bank teller, a worker who handles daily financial transactions, thereby introducing a layer of adult complexity. On the other hand, the Crown series is inspired by a Burger King’s kids’ meal box, complete with an attached crown. This series highlights BK’s philanthropic gesture of allowing children to choose their preferred combo, yet it subtly critiques the underlying consumerism. In this way, Lupo’s Untitled navigates the flux of consumerism, intertwining the innocence of childhood with the realities of economic interests and values.
 

 
Evelyn Taocheng Wang’s Imitation of Agnes Martin series and her paintings on xuan-paper in hand- or hanging scroll format offer a compelling disparity, a hallmark of her œuvre. These series highlight the contrast between East Asian and European painting techniques, conflicting cultural differences, both macroscopic and subtle perspectives. Her works blend secular life with fairy tale magic, as if the physical experience of the body meets the innocent freedom of the spirit and mind. These are the juxtapositions that bring to life the vitality, vigor, and dynamism that transcends time and space, offering viewers a glimpse into a world where reality and fantasy coexist.

Owen Fu’s work explores the hidden depths of human nature, using the hole/dot as a potent motif. The mole suggests profound gazes, unsatisfied desires, and a void of meanings that lurk beneath the surface of reality. The sperm on the curtain, a voyeuristic youngster being devoured by a monster, or all kinds of “human beings,” seemingly tethered by umbilical cords are peering into individual secrets and desires through a hole/mole, exposing their vulnerability and corruption. No one is spared as lines link everyone like veins or roots, creating a network of entangled relationships that breed cherries of love and hope. Owen Fu’s art challenges the viewer to confront their own inner darkness and light, and to question the meaning of existence.

Stanislava Kovalcikova’s artistry creates a mesmerizing intersection of history, memory, and reality. Her work captures the essence of human instinct, as exemplified by the moment her friend Dylan is moved to tears by a film. In Kovalcikova’s perspective, this act of crying is more than a physical response; it’s an emotional fluctuation, a testament to our unique human capacity to feel deeply. Her small-scale encaustic paintings serve as a meeting point for the past and present. They encapsulate both ancient history and modern industrial techniques, creating a tangible link between different eras. These pieces are time capsules, preserving stories from our collective past. Through her art, Kovalcikova narrates tales of essential human experiences. She explores themes of love, loss, joy, and sorrow, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences.