Vacancy, Shanghai

Anna Gonzalez Noguchi, Jesse Zuo, & Kristian Touborg

For its first participation in Art-O-Rama, Gallery Vacancy is pleased to present Things the Tide Choose Not to Take, featuring works by Anna Gonzalez Noguchi, Kristian Touborg, and Jesse Zuo. The presentation explores resilient forms of memory, embodied sensitivity, and the lingering traces of care in everyday structures. Reflecting upon the ways cultural identities endure within ordinary rituals and materials, the booth invites viewers to consider what remains when personal histories begin to fade or drift away.

 

Anna Gonzalez Noguchi assembles familiar domestic objects into sculptural compositions shaped by her Japanese and Spanish heritage. With modest items such as bath towels, stationery, and magazine cut-outs, Gonzalez Noguchi gently anchors transient memories within tangible forms, crafting narratives that move beyond the autobiographical. Recently featured in the 13th edition of Liverpool Biennial, her practice reveals shifting contours of identity, uncovering poetry found in the commonplace.

 

Kristian Touborg continues this dialogue through densely layered paintings that blur the line between virtual and tactile experiences. Touborg integrates digitally printed textiles and dismantled canvases into multifaceted collage. These reconstructed surfaces navigate between abstraction and figuration, fusing historical references with contemporary urban details, challenging perceptions of physicality and digital imagery.

 

Jesse Zuo introduces a psychological counterpoint to the material investigations of the booth, creating figurative paintings that capture fleeting emotional nuances through intimate portrayals of womanhood and self-reflection. Rooted in traditional realism yet attuned to the body’s sensory presence, Zuo renders hair as a quiet metaphor for the passage of time. Her muted palettes, reminiscent of vintage photographs, frame each canvas as a personal diary, gently recording moments of transformation and remembrance.

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