The Air Beneath Our Feet
September 20 - October 26, 2024
T293, Rome, Italy
Hao Ni's exhibition, "The Air Beneath Our Feet" offers a profound meditation on human desire and environmental technology through a multidimensional exploration. Ni investigates the delicate balance between body, desire, and environment, intertwining two themes related to the concept of breath: online foot fetishism and air conditioning systems.
The centerpiece of the exhibition consists of a series of resin sculptures made from previously worn socks purchased from Taiwanese vendors. These socks, infused with the essence and traces of their previous owners, are transformed into works that embody a physical and sensory narrative. The sculptures are accompanied by highly evocative videos documenting the vendors as they wear and remove the socks in their homes, functioning as participatory performances. “With tender care, I open the package, bringing it close to my senses, fearful of losing even the faintest whisper of its essence. Uncertain if there is a loss, what greets me is a mixture of slightly cool air with a damp odor and the piercing 'pop' sound when I open the package. Once opened, I am immediately enveloped by your unique scent. The subtle, lingering odor around the crevices of my fingers awakens every fiber of my being, sending shivers down my spine,” reads a customer review on the Twitter pages of sock vendors dedicated to fetishists after receiving and using the products.
This dimension connects directly to the second segment of the exhibition, which includes a video depicting deep breathing scenes from advertisements for air conditioning systems and for home air purifiers across East and Southeast Asia region. This visual and conceptual contrast stimulates critical reflection on how daily consumption practices and air management shape our sensory perception and environmental experience. Ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) are now essential for controlling and regulating air quality in residential and public spaces. These sophisticated devices, designed to filter and purify the environment, reflect the desire to create a sterile and controlled refuge. However, despite their effectiveness, the reality of the air we breathe is permeated by inevitable traces and residues that escape complete purification. Hao Ni uses the process of air filtration as a powerful metaphor to examine how memories and personal experiences interact with an ever-changing environment. In an era characterized by increasing environmental control, HVAC systems become extensions of our respiratory system, with air filters accumulating dust and debris, becoming guardians of invisible stories.
The Air Beneath Our Feet explores the tension between the attempt at environmental control and the persistent influence of human desires and experiences, reflecting on how we live and breathe in our time.
