Chen Zhen 陈箴

Interpretation

This installation of wooden chamber pots and a chair evokes the image of Buddhist temple bells. The monotonous sound-a recording of the washing of chamber pots-suggests the meditations of Buddhist chants, lending the ensemble a spiritual quality. Chen’s work often explores the notion of duality, and in this case the humblest and most mundane of objects are transformed into something of great value.

-Wai Yee Chiong, associate curator of Asian art

Acquisition details

This is one of two works donated to the collection from the estate of Anita and Burton Reiner. While contemporary art from Asia was not a sole focus of the Reiner collection, these gifts to the collection reflect Anita Reiner’s extensive travels to China and other Asian nations. The donation of this work allows the museum to build its representation of contemporary Asian art and to complement its much stronger holdings of historical works from the continent. It also reflects the benefits to estates in placing works at institutions where they can reach a public audience, and to museums in receiving works that might otherwise be beyond their reach as purchases.

-Dominic Molon, Richard Brown Baker Curator of Contemporary Art