Mui Mui《妹妹》”the middle way” (G16) from DUALITY SERIES
by HAMOUFLAGE with Noah Deledda (B. 1978)
HAMOUFLAGE is Hanjin Tan (B.1976) and Avissiva (B.1985)
Gold leaf on photopolymer
120 (H) x 95 x 85 cm / (47 x 37.5 x 33.5 in.)
The Creators
HAMOUFLAGE is Hanjin(B. 1976) and AsviivsA(B. 1985).
Hanjin is a multi-award winning singer/producer/actor and the 1st in the world to release a Chinese music NFT. He is ardent about blockchain tech and a leading creator of ArtTech in Hong Kong.
Before designing for Ralph Lauren, Owenscorp and Vivienne Tam, AsviivsA studied under Rick Owens at FIDM and was a graffiti artist working for projects such as X-games and Vision.
Noah Deledda is an American artist who is renowned for inventing a unique form of sculpture. He creates intricate works of art by denting aluminum cans. Deledda has practiced a variety of art forms, including drawing, painting, printmaking and design. He is also the inventor and co-founder of Crushmetric.
The Concept
Mui Mui is a cute anime girl with cat ears. It’s how I have come to see netizen’s self and projected images in a metaverse of anime and cat memes. As depicted in the 3 bodies project, future society becomes progressively feminine. We are in that future. Everyone on the internet likes cute little girls and cats.
In the age of the internet, people are quickly becoming bipolar. Every person has, to different extents, developed dual personalities. One for reality and an opposing one for the internet. In reality, we are pleasant and keep up appearances to a certain degree. On the internet however, we are quick to become rude, unthinking, recklessly honest or just plain rude and selfish. Mui Mui reflects the antinomy of our physical and digital selves.
Mui Mui was born as 2 separate selves: a white Mui Mui representing our physical selves and a black Mui Mui representing our darker digital selves.
These 2 selves are often at odds. Like fire and water, they are antagonistic but functionally symbiotic. They are incompatible but have to live together because they reside in a common human body.
Mui Mui is trying to find a way out. Both personalities need to coexist if we are to be able to live with ourselves. The many 1 of 1s in the duality series depict Mui Mui’s evolving attempts at self-reconciliation; through indulgence, silliness, abandon, discipline, order, chaos, brimstone, decadence, neglect, decay, she finds no peace.
In Buddhist dharma, enlightenment is also known as the middle way. Taking our efforts to extremes will not yield inner peace. Do not deny nor indulge any element. Try to accept and observe. It is when we find balance between our disparate elements that we achieve equilibrium. Mui Mui《妹妹》”the middle way” (G16) represents our pursuit of this ideal. She is gold, unwavering, rooted and radiant. She is unmoving and statuesque. So too shall we when we find the middle way.
