Rooted in the simulation of dancing parties on the dance floor as a mechanism for matching supply and demand, MATCHPOOL by Payne Zhu delves into the intricate relationship between cooperation and competition, exploring the deeper nuances of the matching process. Within the context of a pitch-dark dance floor, the bodies, faces, and the dance floor itself transform into grayscale fluids in the visual narrative. In this realm, moving images, akin to the currency referenced in the accompanying song, serve as intermediaries available for exchange, perpetually generating a dynamic and exhilarating force. The exhibition was presented at OCAT, Shanghai in 2022.
An accompanying exhibition publication, supported by the M Art Foundation, meticulously assembled the artist’s most recent creations showcased during the exhibition, along with comprehensive research materials on key works from Zhu’s career. It features critical reviews of Zhu’s artistic practice and its contextual background, presented by curator and writer Yuan Fuca and Hanlu Zhang. Dialogues between Zhu and scholar Zairong Xiang enrich the publication.
This publication is supported by the M Art Foundation.
Payne Zhu (b. 1990) probes into different economic systems and works in between the rheology of finance, competing bodies and the flooding of images. Aspiring to become an exile from within, Zhu manages to create an alternative economics. Often taking unconventional moving images as a point of departure, Zhu’s works celebrate the unmatchable nature of the subject through the mismatch of different technological media.
