Sculptor puts lives and faces on display at Douglas College
Sculptor Xin Meng believes our lives are written on our faces. Regardless of the features we may have inherited from our parents, he maintains that “every face is like a mirror reflecting parts of our society.”
With this observation, Meng created Perplexity, a series of 100 sculpted heads and large format photos of sculpted heads, a portion of which are on display at the Amelia Douglas Gallery at Douglas College until May 25.
The faces, which reflect pain, anguish, sadness and other, subtler emotions, are inspired by famous figures such as Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama and Michael Jackson, as well as homeless people living on the streets of Vancouver and migrant workers in China. His focus is on marginalized people – those shunted to the edges of society by money, profit and other forces.
“The real and true value of life is usually ignored and marginalized by today’s material world,” Meng explains.
In Perplexity, Meng expresses his observations about human nature by expressing the inner selves of his subjects. But he invites people to come and make their own observations about what they see.
“I prefer to let the audience feel, imagine, to let them have a true understanding within their own heart,” he says.
Perplexity: Sculpture and Image runs until May 25 at the Amelia Douglas Gallery, fourth floor, Douglas College, 700 Royal Ave. For more information visit douglascollege.ca/visitors/arts events.
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