Reading by an Artist (…) adopts the technique of the Purple Star Astrology (紫微斗数), a metaphysical philosophy dating back to imperial China, to forecast events in the life of invited participants and shed light on their challenges.
In each session, a ‘likeness’ of the sitter, reminiscent to a print being developed in the darkroom, gradually comes into sharper focus as one obtains clarity of the intrinsic qualities in one’s life and the constellation of choices which shapes them. A table in the performance transforms it into a space of intimate encounter, collective reflection, and evolving dialogue. The participant sits with the artist, preserving the one-to-one reading experience that lies at the heart of the practice. The performance artwork is akin to a metaphysical portrait captured in long exposure, without the usual photographic apparatus of a camera and the end product of a photograph.
