MANGROVEGALLERY 红树林画廊

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Enzo Cucchi, Liang Quan, Daniel Knorr, Nevin Aladag, Jiang Zhi, Xue Feng, Wei Jia, Sun Xun, Li Liao, Fang Kai, Wu Li, Lin Ke, Li Binyuan, Yu Hang, Tan Jing, Hou YijieThe Stranger
1/11/2025-3/1/2025
MANGROVEGALLERY

MANGROVEGALLERY proudly commemorates its 5th anniversary with a momentous group exhibition, “The Stranger,” opening on January 11, 2025. The exhibition features recent works by 16 artists who have collaborated with the gallery on solo projects since its inception.

This is not just an exhibition, but also a gathering, a celebration of encounters and friendships in five years—not too long, not too short.

In this sense, rather than a theme, The Stranger serves more as a collective self-portrait of a group of individuals. Though it may sound self-mocking, to those who know them, it speaks more of mutual respect and personal aspirations. In distant corners of the world, they each quietly nurture their own endeavors; solitary in their enjoyment, they are brought together by sheer serendipity. After all, on this shared path of art, who has not first been a stranger before becoming a true practitioner? And how can the essence of that experience ever be fully articulated by words?

So why not just set aside those grandiose words and let the fruits of their silent labor over the years speak for themselves? These works, developed quietly and away from the spotlight, now shine in their own hues at the gallery’s open doors—a door that is always open, welcoming those who come and go. And perhaps among the visitors, another stranger will step in, recognizing a shared spirit at a glance. Whoever it may be, no matter where they come from, behind this door lies a world of colors, scents, and sounds. People pass by various canvases and screens, like walking past windows on a street. Behind each window, unfamiliar images emerge—clear or blurry, facing you or turned away, or perhaps entirely absent. Each window reveals a secret as vast or as small as the frame itself. If you’re willing, you might gently knock on that door.

It is always open, year after year, where strangers become friends. The wind that blows through the doorway carries a scent of the sea, hinting at boundless horizons—far from the centers of power, free from worldly burdens. This sea breeze, humid and nurturing, fosters quiet growth. Plants thrive silently, with their leaves and blossoms flourishing. Whether it’s day or night, spring or autumn, under typhoon winds or scorching sun, no one notices the ceaseless flow within their stems, driving their growth. How different, really, is the ebb and flow of the sea from these unseen currents? Whether distant or near, grand or humble, that which must flow will always flow. And if you are a stranger too, you may find yourself, in a quiet moment, discerning these currents. Time, then, becomes less significant, as you know that through shifting skies and turning seasons, it will still be there. It will always be there.