Annysa Ng Atelier. Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved.
7 Cards | 2020 | Acrylic on canvas, paper, fabric, mirror | Two panel: 60 x 16 x 12 in. each (152.4 x 40.6 x 30.4 cm each)
7 Cards #42 | 2020 | Direct print on Aluminum Dibond with UV fine art ink | 24 x 16 in. (60.9 x 40.6 cm)
Limited edition of 20. Signed on Verso
This installation is about the invisibility of women.
Tui bei tu (推背圖) is a book of Chinese prophecies from the 7th century Tang dynasty that has been compared to the works of the famous western prophet, Nostradamus. The book contains a series of 60 surreal drawings, each accompanied by an equally obscure poem. These drawings may refer to important figures or events. Just as in Nostradamus's work, their revelations largely depend on individual interpretation. The book should not be read as full of accurate data, yet it does somehow reflect gender inequality throughout China’s history. Among the 60 diagrams, only 7 contain female figures. Five of them have been associated with a “Woman in Power”. One is said to be Wu Zetian (624-705), who was the only woman in China’s history that reigned as Empress regnant. Others could only rule as an Empress regent, like Empress Liu (969–1033) who ruled from 'behind the curtain.’
Each panel is covered with a curtain on the front side, and attached with seven cards on the wall-facing-side, are hung from the ceiling, with a gap of 12 inches out from the wall, on which a mirror is placed to get a glimpse of the drawings on the cards.