Flower in the Mirror Moon on the Water 镜花水月 #6, Lesser Cold 小寒, a mirror ball adorned with plastic floral beadwork

Flower in the Mirror Moon on the Water 镜花水月 #6 — Lesser Cold 小寒

Plastic beads, wire, and mirror ball
24 × 10 × 10 in.
2024

The Chinese philosophy of “flower in the mirror, moon on the water” describes an experience that is visible but intangible — an illusion, a fleeting shadow, a vision. The mirror balls are adorned with traditional Chinese floral decorations, typically used for body adornment. Within the cacophony of materialism and sensory overload in the parties, there lies both a hidden peace and loneliness.

The mirrored reflections of the flowers and light serve as a reminder that behind the vibrant energy of parties and clubbing, the seemingly tangible is ultimately transient and illusory. It is the paradoxical nature of the night experience, of seeing the moon on the water, where the material aspects of life can give rise to fleeting moments of serenity and solitude.