All That is Solid
White cement

55 × 55 × 28 cm
2024--2025

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凝固在空氣之中
白水泥
55 × 55 × 28 cm
2024--2025

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All That is Solid represents the negative space of a shrine dedicated to Tudi Gong, the god of earth, cast in white cement.

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Tudi Gong is an important figure in Chinese folk religion and is widely worshipped as the guardian of villages and residences. Small, house-shaped shrines dedicated to Tudi Gong are traditionally placed at the entrances of villages and residences, serving as a symbol of protection and blessings.

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This series of artwork was exhibited in Memory Smuggler: A First Quartet at To Art House, Hong Kong. In this exhibition, Chu adopts quasi-archaeological methods to explore the settlements and abandoned ruins in the hills of Fo Tan. The absence of the guardian of residences—symbolized by the negative space of the shrine—reflects the fading presence of the once vibrant culture of the Fo Tan neighborhood, now forgotten in the wilderness.

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Image 1--3: Photos by Wong Pak Hang and commissioned by To Art House. Image 4: Photo by Steam Fan. Courtesy of Panda Chow Studio.