Faculty of Art

Drawing and Painting

Yingchao Chen

Examination booth Reconstructed

Examination booth reconstructed is an installation that imitates an examination booth used during Imperial China, constructed using canvases covered in straight lines marked by Pencils, and reclaimed painted objects. Second-hand objects carry the notion of being discarded mass-produced items. These discarded objects carry the memories of previous owners, and they are the materialization of “individuality”. The blue acrylic color was chosen to match the color of Chinese school uniforms. The object booth highlights the idea that while these second-hand items are mass-produced, each item presents its own shapes and forms. The memories and meanings of objects are erased theoretically, and the act of painting over them calls attention to the physical existence of the painted objects. Two sets of school uniforms are hung on both sides of the canvas booth. School uniforms bring another layer of dimension to the piece because they symbolize youth and dreams. The romantic characteristics- determination and persistence, of pencil marking are emphasized as they resonate with uniforms. Examination booth reconstructed presents problems of the individual creative process through the action of meaningless tasks while questioning the inherent quality of erasing individuality of the examination system. The act of erasing is a comment on the current art testing’s conservative style which encourages students to focus on only technical skills, ignoring the importance and freedom of critical thinking