1a space is proud to present the solo exhibition of renowned local artist Annie Wan Lai-kuen. For Annie Wan, molding is not only an important process in her art but also a key concept. It stems from her sensitivity to everyday life and keen observation of mundane objects, which means that molding is her chosen method for examining and depicting reality. The copy mimics the appearance of the original. While it brings to mind the existence of the original object, it would never contain the substance of the latter. But it is precisely this gap between the copy and the original that leaves space for imagination and interpretation.

This exhibition takes the book as its theme. A book is usually understood as a vehicle of texts and a medium for communicating information, but Annie Wan sees the possibility of re-thinking the definition and significance of books in view of the excess of symbols today. Through her molded books, she questions the relationship between the book and the text: If a book doesn't contain any words, does it lose its raison d'etre? Could the message of a book exist outside of words and sentences? Is it possible for a book to have its own natural language that has nothing to do with texts, and if so, what could this language be?

Image: © Annie Wan Lai-kuen, 1a space