Temple Keeper (Red Dragon & Green Dragon)
2024
Installation néon
70*40*5 cm
Developed in the residency with Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation co-organized with French association Rempart in Shanxi, China, this short film documents the roof restoration work of an 800-year-old temple that has lived through war, riot, theft, and mass demolition of heritage during the Cultural Revolution. The survival of the temple was result of two different efforts: the people from the village who physically protected the temple against destruction, and the dragons on the roof that guarded the temple against evil spirits throughout centuries.
These two neon installations was made for the final exhibition of the residency, held in a 450-year-old house restored by the Foundation. The dragons usually rest on the rooftop, watching over the temple as well as nearby neighborhoods. Here they were transformed into neon installation and installed in an ancient village house full of traces of life, objects and furnitures left by people who used to live here. With their glowing eyes, teeth and fins, the protectors continue their modern life with the same duty.