On Wednesday, September 2nd, we are opening a new exhibition titled ‘Polyphonic Nature’ at Rõdugalerii. This exhibition is presented by TYPA’s residency artist, Tsu OuYang (b. Taipei, Taiwan). She is a multifaceted creator specialising in visual arts and design; book arts, printmaking, and photography are crucial components of her aesthetic approach. Through the serial artwork, she composes a metaphysical polyphony of shapes and colours that perform in multidimensional spaces.
Continuing her research in ecopsychology, architecture and music, the art project integrates multidisciplinary knowledge and techniques. For her, music is an architectural work involving time and space, similar to bookmaking. Building on her previous experience creating the artistic bookbinding work ‘Return to Nature (Homage to Arvo Pärt)’, her research has expanded to encompass Estonian music, poetry, and folklore. By reconstructing the musical materials and lyrics, she creates artwork that is more than music visualisation, interpreting meanings beyond.
Viewing and reading experiences can build micro-architectures of the human psyche, constructing multi-dimensional spaces where the physical and spiritual coexist as one. In the microcosm, phenomena reveal possibilities through energy vibrations, yet manifest only through observers’ perspectives. Carl Jung revealed an insight that the ‘collective unconscious’, the deepest layer of the human psyche, resembles an inherited reservoir of universal phenomena transcending history and cultures. Alan Watts also described, ‘We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “peoples.” Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe.’ When individual consciousness dissolves into the environment, like a falling leaf returning to its origin, reconnecting with the source, Oneness Consciousness, and ultimately transforming into a boundless forest.
The serial artwork conveys multiple layers of metaphor, along with wishes to bring hope and harmonise the world. The exhibition itself can be regarded as a conceptual piece of book arts, displayed in both the gallery and the book room ‘Fahrenheit 451°’:
– Chapter 1. Leaf from the Wholeness
Began from treasure hunting in the book room, the discovered sheet music was transformed into an artist’s book, and the Monotype system was applied to its graphic design.
– Chapter 2. Trees Chant of Life
Extending the artist’s book content, the serial prints are created by combining various printmaking techniques, including rubbing, stencils, water-based woodblock printing, screen printing, and so on.
– Chapter 3. Becoming Forest
Mixed-media works on paper and textile form dialogues with the exhibition spaces, transforming them into books. All the pieces complete an ecosystem, which symbolises individual consciousness returning to the source of creation.
Rõdugalerii is open from Wed-Sun, 12.00-18.00. It is located at Kastani 42, in the Aparaaditehas’ courtyard, through entrance door number 7 on the second floor. The exhibition will stay open until the 13th of September 2026.
Artist Website: tsuouyang.com
The art project is sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Taipei City Government, Taiwan.