JUST A THREAD 21

FENG YUANKUN - JUST A THREAD

 

Fate, as a core concept of interpersonal encounters, emotional connections, and life's vicissitudes, essentially represents a relational existence between contingency and necessity, manifestation and concealment, and reality and nothingness. It not only embodies the individual's experiences of joy and sorrow in interpersonal relationships but also contains profound philosophical speculation. Fate touches upon the possibility of "co-existence" between individuals and others, as well as the existential circumstances of relationships in the process of generation, continuation, and dissolution. Heidegger pointed out that human beings are inextricably linked with others from the very beginning of their existence; an isolated individual does not possess complete existential significance, and the invisible connections and bonds between people are the fundamental circumstances of existence. Sartre, starting from the contingency of existence, emphasized that interpersonal encounters do not have a priori necessary logic but are purely non-presupposed occurrences. Once these contingencies form emotional bonds, they are transformed into predetermined existential imprints that individuals cannot sever. In Chinese tradition, "fate" is also regarded as a concrete manifestation of the interconnectedness and circulation of everything, complementing Western existentialist thought and providing cross-cultural philosophical support for artistic expressions of the theme of fate.

 

In the development of contemporary fiber art, how to express abstract concepts and emotional themes through the physical properties of materials and the narrative potential of texture has become an important research direction in the field of fiber art. Fiber materials, with their interwoven, entangled, and superimposed nature, are naturally suited to presenting themes such as relationships, bonds, and connections. The minimalist art movement, which rejects redundant narratives, returns to the authenticity of materials, and pursues a creative logic of pure form, provides a rational and pure artistic framework for presenting abstract concepts such as fate. Judd emphasized in his "Concrete Object" theory that artworks do not need to rely on external narratives; materials and forms themselves can bear the expression of concepts, making the artwork a direct carrier of ideas. Morris's discussion on the structure of minimalist sculpture and bodily perception further reveals how materials, textures, and order directly affect the viewer's cognition, prompting them to reflect on existence and relationships.

 

This work focuses on a minimalist fiber artwork titled "Fate" created by the artist. The artwork is formed by intertwining cotton threads vertically and horizontally to create a base texture, which is then painted with acrylic paint, symbolizing the intertwined emotions and the invisible background of life encounters. A sheet-like support structure is made of concrete, and red lines are painted on the surface using fiber dye. The different lengths and diverse arrangements of these red lines visually present the diversity and complexity of fate. The work aims to deeply explore the existential connotation of fate from the perspective of fiber art, and to materialize abstract relational concepts through minimalist expression. The purpose is to respond to the value of fate as an important spiritual connection in life through the creation and interpretation of the work, to showcase visual reflections on diverse forms of fate, and to provide practical experience and theoretical reference for contemporary fiber art creation in emotional and philosophical themes