The project documents a virtual burial of a contemporary grave
goods, or mingqi*, a miniature Dyson hairdryer which constantly
breezes into an ancient cliff tomb site.
An emptied, unsealed tomb is an enclave where the separation
of the physical space of yin and yang fails. My original plan to
build an installation inside the cliff tomb was cancelled because
of the pandemic; the post-mortem enclave symbolised by the
cliff tomb became literally inaccessible for mortals due to the
isolation measures of the yang territory. The alternative was an
attempt to transfer materials virtually, disrupting the segregation imposed by the mortal order. Thus, a miniature Dyson hairdryer,
manufactured in accordance with the principles of mingqi, is
teleported through a concave mirror, which was traditionally
used as a demon detector.
*Mingqi, known in English as the spirit-article, refers to burial objects made especially for the deceased.
Traditionally, a mingqi has to be made in accordance
with the form of the real-life object and verisimilitude
is stressed. But it has to be purposefully non-functional,
which is usually achieved by deliberate reconfiguration
on size, material and technique.