Shao Yinong and Muchen (b. 1961 and b. 1970, China), a husband and wife duo, have worked collaboratively since 2001. They are widely known for their photographic series, The Assembly Halls, documenting historic Red Army assembly halls across China, reflecting upon the legacy of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Spring and Autumn, a large installation series of embroidery works of obsolete currency from different eras, first produced in 2004 and presented during the Singapore Biennale 2011, will be exhibited for the first time in Hong Kong during the ART Basel HK 2014.
Using the refined technique of traditional Suzhou embroidery, the works create highly detailed yet fragile images – These currencies have become symbols of certain periods in history representing the power and beliefs of political regimes and economic powers which once prevailed but whose time has now well-passed. This series of works have been ten years in the making and have been meticulously created by Suzhou’s most expert embroiderers on sheaths of transparent black silk lending them strength of imagery on an ephemeral and fleeting backdrop.
