Hats for the Contemporary Literati Hat for Cutting Thru Delusion (True/False), calligrapher’s felt, wire and glass, 63 x 15 x 12cm, 2012

“Hats for the Contemporary Literati” are styled after the Ming Dynasty hanfu 汉服(traditional Chinese clothing) of the literati painters and scholars. They are constructed from materials associated with the practice of 书法 (calligraphy).

While in the past scholars retreated from the worldly and corrupt ways of the court, today’s aspiring hermit may need to retreat from the overstimulation of contemporary life and consider the nature of reality in a virtual world.

Donning the hats can perhaps provide some relief from mental struggle, if only by making one (playfully) mindful of one’s mental state.

 
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