The age-old concept of time is often perceived as linear, unwavering, and absolute. Yet, The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s (LMCC) 2023 season at The Arts Center at Governors Island asks visitors to rethink this perception, with a diverse array of exhibitions thematically centered around this intangible force.
The first of these exhibitions is Where Time Runs Backwards by artist Daniel Shieh, accompanied by works from Chia-Lun Chang and Arleene Correa Valencia.
Shieh, an alumnus of the LMCC’s Arts Center Residency program and a Taiwanese-born artist, offers an evocative approach to the season’s theme. Where Time Runs Backwards is designed to be an immersive experience composed of five new site-specific works. While traditionally, the majority of art exhibits are visual, Shieh’s installations encourage attendees to dive deep and engage multiple senses. Using light, sound and kinetic energy, the large-scale structures in his exhibit sing, rotate and orbit, ensuring that every visitor doesn’t just see the exhibit but feels it.
Beyond literal sensory stimulation, Shieh’s works seek to explore the concepts of national identity, diaspora and familial relationships — drawing inspiration from cultural milestones like the Voyager Golden Record and the American anthem.
Complementing the multimedia exhibit is the collaborative touch of Chang and Valencia. Chang, LMCC’s 2022 Sarah Verdone Writing Award recipient, contributes with her deeply moving poetry, while Valencia adds textile works, further interweaving stories of aspirations, dreams and the quest to understand the meaning of “American.”
At the heart of Where Time Runs Backwards is an attempt to understand self in relation to lineage and legacy.
“This new body of work draws upon conversations with my parents about their experience living in the United States,” shared Shieh, adding “Through incorporating cultural symbols and my personal history into immersive audio and visual installations, I’m thinking about what belonging to a country entails.”
Where Time Runs Backwards is set to run through to October 1, with no entry fee required.
Elsewhere, see how this new book celebrates hip-hop’s cultural influence on contemporary art.
The Arts Center at Governors Island
125 Maiden Lane, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10038
