2 August 2024
Nanyang academy of fine arts
Nanyang academy of fine arts
Raised in Taiwan and educated in Singapore, Benedict Yu presents his artworks for the first time in Germany in his solo exhibition Enraptured. Inspired by the artist’s varied religious and cultural backgrounds and the liberal atmosphere of Berlin, Enraptured symbolizes a passionate artistic quest for self-discovery. His work employs religious motives from Christianity and Buddhism, used in ambiguous ways that seek the holy in the sensual and vice versa.
Central to the exhibition is the innovative use of virtual reality technology, where Yu invites viewers into an alternate cosmic realm. Within this space, visitors are surrounded by 27 figure drawings brought to life through VR, a testament to Yu’s dedicated work during his residency. The pieces in this series, titled Consummation, were painted blindly, merely by touch, with the last one representing a self-portrait created on the artist’s 27th birthday.
Enraptured also includes a dance video, an installation piece, over-painted digital prints, and the results of his live painting performance Peregrination. Benedict Yu’s work in the versatile yet conceptually coherent Enraptured show encapsulates the struggles and triumphs of embracing seemingly conflicting facets of the self, inviting viewers to reflect on their own journeys of self-discovery and growth.