“Will Things Ever Get Better?”, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, 2012

“Will Things Ever Get Better?” now tours to Shanghai MoCA, and expands into a two-person exhibition of Xiang Jing and Qu Guangci. Both pondering upon the realities our current living world, Xiang Jing and Qu Guangci use very distinct languages.

Xiang Jing’s artworks are displayed on the ground floor. All the glass wall at Shanghai MoCA is fully wrapped and covered by dark red curtains used at performances. The signature spiral stairs at Shanghai MoCA forms an integral part of the “acrobats” at performance, creating a striking spectacle. In terms of the psychological spiral curve, humans of “acrobats” seem capable of reaching the top of the sky; while from the viewpoint of the second floor, they are but a group of “mortals” falling into our secular world.

The “animal series” of artworks are hidden in a low-rise space separated by a wall. The elephant and the sheep are huddled together. Compared to the narrow space at the Today Art Museum in Beijing, the animals here appear more like creatures comforting and warming each other, regardless of their different races.

At the door to welcome visitors, is a horse-like spiritual creature - The Invulnerable Creature. He stands there muted and at peace, is not in the secular world, and not in heaven either.