Other Side

Other Side unfolds from artist Ding Yun’s many years of collecting crystal. The exhibition presents nearly sixty pieces of natural crystal minerals from the artist’s collection. Minerals of different forms and structures are gathered together in the gallery, where the faceted surfaces of the crystals refract delicate and complex layers under the light, creating a visually striking effect.

The display cases ingeniously employ mirrored reflections: through multi-angled reflections and spatial extensions, the minerals appear visually multiplied and prolonged. This dynamic viewing experience further amplifies the structural characteristics and optical properties of the crystals, allowing viewers, as they move through the space, to sense the mysterious aura and unique beauty contained within the material itself. Collecting thus becomes more than a static display—it transforms into a spatial experiment in seeing and perception.

Within this process of viewing, one begins to wonder: what exactly are we seeing—the material itself, or the result of light and structure interacting together? Is what we call “reality” also grounded in habitual ways of seeing?

The exhibition extends beyond the presentation of crystal collections. In addition to the natural crystal minerals, Ding Yun’s video and painting works also form an important part of the exhibition. Through different media, these works expand the discussion of material while making seeing itself the subject of artistic creation: video introduces delays and overlays within the dimension of time, while painting reconstructs crystalline structures and optical logic on a flat surface, blurring the boundary between reality and representation.