Emptiness 2026
I am thrilled to announce that my sculpture, Alone, has been selected for the international juried exhibition, Emptiness 2026.
The concept of "Emptiness" is one that carries vast, often contradictory meanings across the globe. While Western perspectives often associate the void with loss or a lack of purpose, Eastern philosophies—particularly Zen—view Emptiness as a state of interconnectedness and "the ground of everything." This exhibition brought together artists from over 150 countries to explore these emotional, spiritual, and physical dimensions of the void.
Alone is a subtractive foam sculpture completed in 2023. It depicts a human form in a deeply introspective pose—holding knees to the chest. When I began carving this piece, my goal was to capture the raw, heavy feelings of sadness and isolation.
However, as the process unfolded, the sculpture began to reveal a different story. As I carved away the material to define the limbs, the "empty space" became just as important as the form itself. The subtracted areas transitioned from simple holes into meaningful gaps that define the human figure. By the time I finished the piece—painting it to resemble the weathered texture of classical bronze—it felt less like a depiction of despair and more like a study of how we occupy space when we are at our most vulnerable.
In the context of the Emptiness 2026, Alone sits at the intersection of "Solitude and Stillness" and "Existential Reflection." It invites the viewer to look at the figure not just as a person who is lonely, but as a form finding its definition through what has been taken away.
Being part of this global narrative is a beautiful reminder that while "emptiness" can be an isolating emotion, the artistic expression of it is a shared, healing experience. You can view Alone and the other incredible selected works on the exhibition platform. Thank you for following along on my creative journey!
