Basel 2019.6.13
Few kilometers away from the festivities of the Art Basel, a tranquil, quiet, and restful piece of installation finds its space in a vacant apartment in the center of Basel.
SLEEEP — the Hong Kong Sleep Tech Start-up committed to building a sustainable culture through quality sleep — collaborates with Hong Kong Artist Wendy Tai to set up this unusual piece in an unusual space, right next to their first international ‘outpost’, where a pop-up capsule hotel ‘Powered by SLEEEP’, featuring four SLPers, has been deployed. SLPer is an award-winning smart sleeping capsule that features a Responsive Environmental Modulator (R.E.M.) that adapts to individual preferences, dual-density mattress and pillows, and FSC certified real-wood lining.
We have the honor to invite Wendy to juxtapose this space with her signature, subtle yet reverberating art installation. The statement from Wendy herself:
Waves (2019) builds upon my interest in creating immersive and transient light installations. It is a response to the SLPer and the space in which it is showcased in Basel. The use of dripping vessels echoes the function of the SLPer as a vessel for us to rest and recharge. The overlapping, reflected light creates a hypnotic and intimate atmosphere, mimicking the sensation of sinking into sleep.
Waves is also an extension of my ongoing artistic interest in medical humanities and healing. As the first piece I made since the passing of my late father, it is a reflection of my thoughts regarding mortality, drawing parallels between our sleeping state and our final rest.
Wendy Tai is a mixed-media artist and educator based in Hong Kong. You can see more of her work at https://wendytai.com
