ong Dong is a prominent figure in contemporary Chinese art, whose installation works explore profound themes such as memory, globalization, and transience through a unique lens. By ingeniously combining mirrors, lighting, and everyday household objects, he creates deeply immersive artistic experiences.
In his work Quarter (2021-2024), the artist constructs an interactive installation using steel, mirrors, and everyday items and furniture collected from various households. This approach not only showcases the diversity of material culture but also reflects the collective memory of urban life.
Particularly noteworthy is Waste Not (2009), a piece comprising over 10,000 items accumulated by the artist’s mother over fifty years, ranging from bottle caps and shoes to toys. Described as “a physical and psychological unpacking,” the work examines the relationship between consumerism and impermanence through these everyday objects.
Song Dong’s latest work, Borrowing Light (2025), exhibited at the São Paulo Biennial, creates a mirrored world filled with lamps and chairs borrowed from private homes. The piece draws on the concept of mirrors in traditional Chinese feng shui while philosophically exploring the idea of “borrowing,” prompting viewers to contemplate humanity’s transient existence on Earth.
The artist frequently collects discarded furniture, architectural fragments, and other everyday objects from Beijing’s streets, infusing these artifacts—imbued with urban history and personal lives—with new vitality in his works. Through this method, Song Dong’s art not only evokes memories of home but also encourages audiences to reflect on the complex interplay between memory and reality, humor and trauma.
All images © Song Dong, shared with permission
