Qi Tan

Dates: 08.11 – 08.12.24
Location: Atelier Nord, Olaf Ryes plass 2 (entrance from Sofienberggata)

Please join us for the exhibition opening on Thursday 07.11.2024, 18-20.

The Dream Trilogy is a series of 3D animated films by Qi Tan that delve into themes of mythology, spirituality, and alternative forms of existence. Each film is set in a distinct world, wholly imagined by the artist, populated by diverse creatures and biomes that interact in complex and often surprising ways. Narratively, Qi’s films blend speculative science fiction with magical realism. Aesthetically, they adopt a laid-back, soothing approach reminiscent of video games and digital visualizers from late 1990s and early 2000s.

In Shadow Bugs: 1749–2046 (2019), we encounter microscopic interstellar creatures that have travelled to earth on a meteor, capable of infiltrating and controlling human dreams by feeding off of spiritual water in the human body. Symptoms casued by the shadow bugs include grogginess, hallucinations, stomach issues, and ultimately, complete separation from reality.

The second part of the trilogy, Silver Dragons (2024), reimagines the traditional Chinese symbol of the dragon. It follows the life cycle of dragons—from hidden, dormant eggs to fully matured beings venturing into the unknown. Here, transformation and self-discovery are envisioned as both a physical process and a journey toward freedom.

The third film, Cosmic Garden (2022–23), explores the vast and unpredictable potential for life in the cosmos by taking viewers on a journey to a planet inhabited by silicon-based life. Plant life sprouts across shimmering, crystalline structures, while new and forms of life emerge from vast oceans across a variety of climates.

Complementing each film is a series of sculptures that relate to and expand upon the biomes and creatures depicted, offering a tangible extension of Qi’s diverse worlds.

Qi Tan (b. 1994, China) is an artist based in Oslo. In her work, Qi delves into nature’s mystique and the imaginative potential of digital world-building, bringing extraordinary creatures and complex mythologies to life. A graduate of the Oslo Academy of Fine Arts, she has recently exhibited at Studio 17 (Stavanger), Tegnerforbundet (Oslo), Bærum Kunsthall, Høstutstillingen 2022, Østlandsutstillingen 2023, Galleri Blunk (Trondheim), Galleri Ask (Horten), and Forum Box (Helsinki).

The Dream Trilogy is supported by the Norwegian Visual Artists Fund, Arts Council Norway, and the Municipality of Oslo.

Qi Tan would like to thank Junjia Yu (exhibition design), Marit Skavlid (knitting work) and Simon D. T. Wenzel (scent development).