This summer, CPLUS’ installation Matrix-Space for All is captivating visitors to the Taikang Art Museum in Beijing. Located in Gallery A, this innovative work challenges the traditional relationship between individuals and the towering urban environment of Beijing central business district. The installation aims to create an intimate and emotional connection with the city, offering a stark contrast to the cold, concrete surroundings.
The Matrix is a suspended, inflatable, ellipsoidal structure designed to evoke the feeling of returning to the safety and warmth of a womb. Suspended 2.2 metres above the ground, the installation is secured to the roof by cables, freeing up the gallery space and enhancing the experience of spatial tension. This tension symbolises the pressures of metropolitan life, subtly playing with the concepts of expansion and collision.
Visitors enter Matrix via a moveable steel ladder, moving from the rigid, rectangular space of the gallery into the soft, enveloping air cabin. The structure’s semi-transparent membrane creates a floating, cocoon-like atmosphere where light and sound are carefully controlled to heighten sensory perception. Inside, the soft, pliable surface provides an immersive experience, encouraging visitors to disconnect from the outside world and reflect on the essence of life.
All photography by ZHU YUMENG and ZHANG JINBIN
