Trust Fall
21/03/2025 - 15/06/2025
MACA Art Center, Beijing, CN
Liao Wen: Trust Fall features the artist's recent
sculptures and a site-specific installation designed for the first floor of MACA, exploring the
complex dynamics of friction and fusion between
fluid identities and social systems.
"Trust fall" is a game of fear and trust. One person stands with their back to the group and falls backward, expecting to be caught by the others. The game is intended to amplify the sense of interdependence in moments of vulnerability to deepen mutual trust. Central to the exhibition is the eponymous installation Trust Fall (2023–2025), a representation of this game: the inclined human figure on the steel stage is restrained by a rope connected to its chest, suspended in a delicate balance within intense tension. Visitors are invited to climb the staircase or walk beneath the installation, shifting their identities and experiences in the act of moving.
The exploration of insecurity in the work stems from the artist's experience of relocation in recent years and her contemplation of social alienation, her concern for the living conditions of marginalized communities, as well as her reflections on the intersection of living spheres of different social communities. The exhibition space is designed to resemble an urban transit system, constructing specific temporary rules with turnstiles and barriers. The interactive sculpture Wanderer (2024–2025) sometimes blocks the path, acting as an obstacle as visitors move through the space. The possibility of detaching from the system, however, remains ever-present; whether to adhere to or transgress the established order is left for each participant to explore and decide.
The materials and forms in Liao Wen's works are deeply rooted in her training in puppet-making and performance. Similar to her previous works, the wooden sculptures in this exhibition are handcrafted and painted by the artist, with limewood as the medium of expression, endowing the inanimate humanoids with the tension inherent in human existence. Trust Fall continues Liao Wen's ongoing investigation into the theme of "liminali ty," examining how the "threshold body"—navigating between crisis and trust, harm and protection—achieves counterbalance and resistance. Through the exhibition, the artist recounts the experience of adaptation and rejection between individuals and their surroundings, while posing a question: Are our bodies and minds still confined within an established system?
Text by Chen Yindi
The exhibition was curated by Chen Yindi and Wang Jianan
"Trust fall" is a game of fear and trust. One person stands with their back to the group and falls backward, expecting to be caught by the others. The game is intended to amplify the sense of interdependence in moments of vulnerability to deepen mutual trust. Central to the exhibition is the eponymous installation Trust Fall (2023–2025), a representation of this game: the inclined human figure on the steel stage is restrained by a rope connected to its chest, suspended in a delicate balance within intense tension. Visitors are invited to climb the staircase or walk beneath the installation, shifting their identities and experiences in the act of moving.
The exploration of insecurity in the work stems from the artist's experience of relocation in recent years and her contemplation of social alienation, her concern for the living conditions of marginalized communities, as well as her reflections on the intersection of living spheres of different social communities. The exhibition space is designed to resemble an urban transit system, constructing specific temporary rules with turnstiles and barriers. The interactive sculpture Wanderer (2024–2025) sometimes blocks the path, acting as an obstacle as visitors move through the space. The possibility of detaching from the system, however, remains ever-present; whether to adhere to or transgress the established order is left for each participant to explore and decide.
The materials and forms in Liao Wen's works are deeply rooted in her training in puppet-making and performance. Similar to her previous works, the wooden sculptures in this exhibition are handcrafted and painted by the artist, with limewood as the medium of expression, endowing the inanimate humanoids with the tension inherent in human existence. Trust Fall continues Liao Wen's ongoing investigation into the theme of "liminali ty," examining how the "threshold body"—navigating between crisis and trust, harm and protection—achieves counterbalance and resistance. Through the exhibition, the artist recounts the experience of adaptation and rejection between individuals and their surroundings, while posing a question: Are our bodies and minds still confined within an established system?
Text by Chen Yindi
The exhibition was curated by Chen Yindi and Wang Jianan
Live performance “Axis” as the parallel event to Liao Wen’s solo exhibition, Trust Fall
Co-created by artist Liao Wen, dancer Wang Xuanqi, Pan Xiaonan, and musician Anita Pan
Click the link to
Documentary video of “Axis”
特别项目 | 《基准线》艺术现场
Conversation between Liao Wen, Wang Xuanqi, and Anita Pan, moderated by Chen Yindi
表演及演后谈回顾｜日常轴线，身体回应