‘Rooster’, pronounced ‘gee’, is a homophone of ji吉, which means virtuous, kind and friendly. In ancient China, the emperor would use ji to praise the heavens and the earth.
In this exhibition, Tianli Zu showcases her pentatonic roosters, which won the 2017 Chinese New Year lantern design tender. The exhibition also features a large-scale site-specific installation of cutouts.
Zu’s rooster lantern imitates traditional Chinese musical instruments and implements the five-note pentatonic scale. Its body is a gong; its head is a cymbal; its tail is a wooden block; its wattle a bell; its beak and leg are flutes; its feet are piccolos; and panpipes form its comb. The five roosters appear in five colours, which symbolises the continuity of Chinese tradition.
The rooster lantern will be shown in the spiritual home of Chinese New Year, Chinatown, from 27 January to 12 February. They will be illuminated with programmed lights synchronised with music written by young composer, Andrew Zhou. Viewers are invited to participate by hitting the gong.
Exhibition Period：25 Jan – 11 Feb 2017
Opening Hours: 11am- 7 pm
Address: 5/16 Hickson Rd Walsh Bay NSW 2000 Australia
About the Artist Tianli Zu
Australian award-winning multimedia artist, Tianli Zu, was born in Beijing, China. In 2015, she was a finalist in the Archibald Prize with her portrait of former AGNSW director, Edmund Capon. In 2016, her painting of Penny Wong won the People’s Choice Award at the Salon des Refusés. Further, she was a finalist in the Paddington Art Prize, the Mosman Art Prize and the Portia Geach Memorial Award.
Zu’s Pentatonic Roosters and Mahjong Ox lanterns will be showing at the Lunar Lanterns Exhibition. Zu’s art offers viewers an experience of Chinese culture weaving through history and the contemporary.
