Introduction
Star Gallery is proud to announce that Wen Ling’s solo exhibition Full Moon Boys will be open on 22 May 2020 with a total of ?? works of various media as part of the Gallery Weekend in Beijing this year.
Wen Ling’s “Full Moon Boys” series, first titled “FMB”, started in 2009. The term “full moon face”, meaning a round and white face like the full moon literally, could be attributed to the Explanation of Vimalakirti Sutra from The Collections of Dunhuang Bianwen. It is usually used to describe those who are close to divinity with a fair, delicate and chubby face. Although Wen Ling’s “Full Moon Boys” have similar letters with the term “full moon face”, the messages they convey vary drastically. The characters of the weird-looking Full Moon Boys, whose facial features have metamorphosed into certain specific symbols like breasts, electronic devices or a landmark on the Chang’an Avenue, were designed by Wen Ling in a creative yet explicitly critical manner. They are a mixture of the irritations and inspirations he has got from the reality, as well as his every-day memories and the subconsciousness that has thrived for years. With the help of these surreal characters, Wen Ling was trying to discuss his perspective of the world, to state his values in a seemingly innocent and absurd tone.
As a virtual group of characters, the Full Moon Boys have been not only displayed in various media and styles, but also involved with the public sphere, such as the Wechat emojis and large-scale outdoor billboards, etc. They have even entered the wardrobes of the ZUCZUG consumers through Wen Ling’s cooperation with this fashion brand. This coming solo exhibition will focus on the canvases of the artists created between 2019 and 2020. After an array of experiments with diversified attempts, Wen Ling approached the key of painting with his unique personal style, trying to seek a meaningful position for the Full Moon Boys in the history of painting.
