Oscar Wang has unveiled “Gathering,” his first large-scale urban sculpture in the newly-opened Alila Shangai — the group’s first resort retreat in Greater China.
Nestled in the city’s bustling Jing’an district, Wang’s sculpture takes home in the hotel’s central atrium on the lobby level. Through an interplay of materials, the sculpture takes on the form of a tree, uniting traditional Chinese philosophy with Alila’s focus on sustainability. Every component of the piece honors and celebrates each of the five elements and five senses, which are the main inspirations behind the artwork.
In the main structure of “Gathering,” its trunk and branches are crafted from polished silver. while leaves nod to fire and earth in a blend of ceramic and steel. Projecting from within the sculpture are programmed light sources that change brightness and color — evoking a breathing-like pattern as if the tree is alive.
“As we live in a fragmented big data era bounded by too many things, the fast-paced work and lifestyle causes us to forget the most original state we should be in,” notes Wang, adding that he hopes “awaken people to remember our most comfortable and natural state” through his new sculpture.
Alila Shanghai
500 Weihai Rd, People’s Square,
Huang Pu Qu, Shanghai, China, 200041
