Editor's Note: Two Chinese artists are exploring how invisible forces interact with the physical world in a new exhibition at Beijing's Tianwu Art Center.
"Weight of the Shadowless" opened on July 10 and will run through Sept. 10, featuring works by Wang Ling and Yang Liang, curated by Song Tao.
The exhibition pairs Wang's structural pieces made from salvaged wood, cast iron and quenched steel with Yang's installations using cloth, feathers and resin.
Together, their works show how things we can't see — like emotions and memories — interact with and influence the physical world. Wang's architectural works challenge viewers to confront material existence, while Yang's pieces explore the boundary between body and spirit.
The exhibition extends beyond the main gallery into the center's cafe and reading area, where a blue-brick book wall, custom furniture, and an avian installation continue the show's themes. Curator Song calls the space a "perception vessel" designed to show that darkness is not an end state but a passage toward awareness.
The introductory wall of the "Weight of the Shadowless" exhibition at Beijing's Tianwu Art Center on Aug. 12, 2025, establishes a sober frame for the show's inquiry into invisible forces and states of presence. [Photo by Liu Ziying/China.org.cn]