Where the Bell Sounds
The work Where the Bell Sounds combines mechanical devices and ceramic media to reshape the image of the temple bell, reproducing traditional Chinese culture in a contemporary form. The ceramic bell, together with a geometric ceramic cone, constructs an abstract landscape reminiscent of Chinese ink painting. At the same time, it echoes the description of ceramics in the Song Dynasty text Tao Ji: “thin as paper, white as jade, bright as a mirror, and sound as chime.” Beyond its formal qualities, the work draws on Taoist philosophy, in which sound and silence, fullness and emptiness, are interdependent. The bell does not merely signify a physical object, but becomes a vessel of qi—the vital breath that flows between matter and spirit. The combination of mechanical structure and fragile ceramic form creates a dialogue between permanence and transience, technology and nature. By evoking the Zen-like stillness of Chinese painting while resonating with the Taoist pursuit of harmony between humans and the cosmos, Where the Bell becomes more than an object: it is an inquiry into how contemporary art can embody ancient wisdom. It stages a poetic encounter where tradition and modernity, material and immaterial, converge in the subtle rhythm of the bell.
Short Bio
Yimou is currently pursuing a practice-based PhD at the University of Dundee. Their research focuses on the intersection of Taoist philosophy and ecofeminism within the field of contemporary art. Recent participations include the Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents, the British Ceramics Biennial 2025, and the Dundee Design Festival, among others.