PEAS, 2023, JPS GALLERY PARIS, PARIS, FRANCE

Beyond explorations of the individual and the collective—aggregation and dispersion—my journey in Japan prompted deeper reflections on the meaning of human civilization. Standing amid the war relics in Hiroshima, I was profoundly moved by the artifacts and traces left behind. Humanity wages wars under various self-proclaimed banners of justice, yet fails to learn from the devastation and its enduring negative impacts; cruel history repeats itself relentlessly.

In this sense of disorientation, I turned to ceramic vases to express human contradictions and the fragility of civilization. As exquisite crafted objects, these vases symbolize the pinnacle of human wisdom and cultural achievement, yet their material is inherently delicate and breakable. Does “civilization” truly represent progress for humanity?

Buildings—symbols of human habitation and the evolution of civilization—are depicted on the surfaces of these ceramic vases. Each window represents a distinct individual life. Windows aligned in orderly rows evoke communal living, while those scattered in isolated corners signify solitary existence within the crowd. Every window is independent, yet intimately connected to the others, mirroring the essence of human nature: we gather, yet remain fundamentally alone.

Drawing from Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving, where he posits that humans form relationships to overcome the fear of loneliness and separation, I contemplate how technological advancements have rendered this dynamic problematic. We live in close proximity yet grow further apart. Digital communication has supplanted genuine social interactions, and modern individuals seem increasingly content with solitary lives.

The advent of smartphones allows us to effortlessly evade the discomfort of true solitude. In the exhibition works, windows are rendered in proportions akin to mobile screens, as the dimensions of the device in our hands appear to define the boundaries of our world. Relying on technology, we seem less fearful of loneliness and less troubled by singleness—but does technological progress genuinely resolve isolation, or does it propel us deeper into it?

Only through self-growth and inner enrichment can we truly transcend the fear of loneliness. In the exhibition space, nine independent windows can be unified into a harmonious collective tableau or separated into individual narratives of fulfillment. We need not question or negate others’ ways of living. Both the individual and the collective have their own modes of coexistence: the collective shines through cooperation, while the individual flourishes in freedom. Remain faithful to one’s own window, return to authenticity, and embrace existence on one’s own terms. Perhaps by bidding farewell to worldly utility, we discover that everyone—and everything—has inherent value.