Romance on Hobby Horses

 

Boo Sze Yang's latest series, titled "Romance on Hobby Horses," represents a progression from his 2021 collection, "Dancing with the Wolves." Having meticulously studied and reimagined images of protest and societal unrest, Sze Yang infuses his work with dark humor and exaggerated theatricality. He magnifies eerie repetitions of figures, synchronized dance movements, and poster-like settings. Employing carousel horses as motifs, he symbolizes the circulation of privilege, wealth, and power.

 

Today, authority is often expressed through business suits or military uniforms, while masks, once associated with heroes in movies, now serve to conceal identities. Masks can represent the need for protection in a perilous world, with gas masks carrying diverse symbolic meanings depending on context. They may signify resistance, solidarity, and survival, yet also evoke fear and danger due to their association with warfare and chemical attacks.

 

Sze Yang's thought-provoking imagery prompts viewers to reflect from an ironic standpoint on the intricate struggles—both physical and moral—between civilians and law enforcement figures, as each strives to uphold societal safety and justice. In navigating these upheavals through digital screens and within the realm of simulacra, we're compelled to question the narratives constantly presented to us: to what extent can we trust these framed and curated stories?