Ma Yansong was invited to create the art installation “Lighthouse of Time” for the Art in Qiaoshan – 2022 Guangdong Nanhai Dadi Art Festival, located in Taiping Village, Xiqiao, Nanhai, Guangdong.
As the Xijiang River flows eastward, the gentle sound of waves remains. Beneath the vegetable fields, fish ponds, and banyan trees, one can witness the ever-changing landscape along the riverbank. The once bustling market, bakery, and ferry no longer thrive in front of the courtyard, but life continues to pulse with quiet energy. The old Dan people’s temple, now adorned with vibrant new colors, reflects a blend of old and new. This coexistence invites you to move beyond the familiar, feel the vitality of new life, imagine the unknown, and embrace the future.
The installation is housed in an old market building at Taiping Market, facing the Xijiang River. With the market to the north and opportunity to the south, Taiping Market traces its origins back to the late Ming Dynasty and flourished in modern times. It once served as a vital hub on the waterway connecting eastern and western Guangdong. During the 1980s and 1990s, fishermen, merchants, and villagers gathered here annually according to the lunar calendar, making it the most prominent “landmark” of Xiqiao at the time.
With urbanization advancing, many villages face common challenges: the outflow of young residents and a decline in community vitality. The rise of market economies and the digital era have gradually diminished the significance of rural markets. Deserted streets lined with old two-story buildings made of red and blue bricks, occasionally interrupted by cement houses, tell the story of past prosperity fading away. Only a few elderly locals remain, sitting on doorsteps and chatting quietly.
Though the building remains abandoned, numerous plants reach toward the sunlight through gaps in the structure, symbolizing resilience and vitality. Our goal is to foster new life emerging from this abandonment, allowing visitors to experience fresh energy and new perceptions through the old framework. This also introduces a renewed understanding of the dimension of time to the entire region.” – Ma Yansong
When history shifts and a place’s function diminishes, it is the emotional value and inspirational space that architecture leaves behind.
Between the quiet villages and the rapidly developing riverfront, MAD seeks to contrast the timelines of “history” and “future” through design, creating a surreal scene that sparks imagination.
The three-story building is clad in reflective materials, mirroring the surroundings of the old street. This interplay blurs boundaries, creating a dynamic and fluid visual experience.
The towering multimedia lamp post is draped in colorful fabric. During the day, the vibrant cloth sways gently in the breeze, creating a fresh and romantic atmosphere. At night, the lamp post transforms into a new “lighthouse” for Xijiang, casting surreal and dreamlike colors across Pingsha Island and the opposite riverbank.
The Lighthouse of Time will be on display at the Taipingxu Art Zone during the Art in Qiaoshan – 2022 Guangdong Nanhai Land Art Festival from December 2022 through summer 2024.
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