Ed Pien

Rebellion, Redemption, Regeneration, hand-cut digital print on Arches paper, 76 x 101 cm, 2011

These paper-cuts are made from digital outputs of manipulated images which play out a fascination with light and shadow, presence and ephemerality.
The open-ended narratives of figures enacting the performative within a dense webbing of tangled tree branches, invite viewers to participate in formulating their own set of interpretations.
The gestures in these works explore dream-like states and visions, while variations of depth of field and movement hint at a cinematic experience; touching on the realm of the uncanny.
The first, entitled “Redemption,” conveys a sense of the ethereal weightlessness of uninhibited movement. The dark, opaque forms of the tree create a sharp silhouette that appears to cradle the image with a skeletal hand. Its branches create an intricate network of connections. From it, a figure leaps from the safety of its limbs into a seemingly un-occupied void, with only blurred suggestions of the world from where he will tumble. Is it a frightful and empty descent into the unknown, or a joyous liberation from the complex and impenetrable milieu?
In “Regeneration” figures survey the labyrinth from a strong limb with a still, pensive stance. The silhouettes take on different forms, with some shrinking into twigs while others appear to hatch serpent-like heads.
The final work, “Rebellion,” conjures a sense of dissonant angst, revealing images brimming with mystery. The dark, windowless homes within conceal any suggestions of their inhabitants’ activities, screening what facets may differentiate living contently in quiet seclusion, versus bleak isolation. Are they guardians of their world, or is this disquiet scene their hostage?这些纸片是从可控的数码输出