What distinguishes a wooden plank from a living plant? In this solo exhibition, Keng Chieh-Sheng reexamines this question by placing both on a timeline, viewing them as different states of the same material—one inert and the other alive. Can this linear understanding of time be disrupted, allowing materials to return to their natural state?
Keng explores the transformation from plank to plant. Carving a piece of wood into the shape of a plant might replicate its outward form, but what if the material itself is already its original body? By planing a wooden plank into thin slices—reversing its growth process layer by layer—the artist metaphorically dismantles the timeline of life. This act opens a new dimension, where the wooden plank regains its softness and malleability. Yet, faced with a collection of unfamiliar plant-like remnants, how can we restore or approach their original essence?
To facilitate the rebirth of these plants, Keng delves into the shared environment of plants and humans—sunlight, air, water, and earth. Through this process of mutual understanding, it is as though a connection to the vitality of the earth is restored. While the true essence of nature may remain elusive, Keng’s work evokes a profound sense of coexistence and interconnectedness.