WHAT

Following the Swedish duo’s recent show at Shanghai’s Prada Rong Zhai, their first gallery exhibition sees the duo immerse the gallery space in a sea of flowers, with fourteen new sculptures created specifically for the show. Known for their psychologically-charged clay-animation films and adventurous sculptural works, Djurberg & Berg extend some of the installed elements from the previous show. Having created their first major work inspired by flora and fauna in 2009 for the 53rd Venice Biennial (for which they were awarded the Silver Lion for best emerging artists), these new flower sculptures are constructed from mixed media (clay, paint, fabric and resin).

WHY

Flowers recur in Djurberg & Berg’s practice due to their abiding interest in the fleeting nature of human emotions and their shared symbolism for human themes of love, joy, desire, sadness and vulnerability. Recalling real species of lilies and orchids, as well as fantastical floral arrangements in other-worldly colours and forms, audiences not only feel that they have entered a Garden of Eden; but as they walk through the gallery, the deep blue surfaces represent an internal stream of emotions manifested in physical form.