Originaire: The original intention from the bottom of heart

The theme of the Chinese Pavilion at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition- la Biennale di Venezia - “Originaire”- is not a concept that came up overnight nor is it a work completed in a short period of time. The concept itself has been in fact walking on the path toward its art journey in Venice for over twenty years.

Although I am the curator of this year’s Chinese pavilion and at the same
time I am a commentator and educator in art and architecture I would like to consider my real identity to be an artist. If the notion was not based on a cross disciplinary thinking between art and architecture our exhibition would not have a concept as such.

From the first time that I created an art work related to the concept of “Originaire”in 1990 the concept itself and its presentation method have not changed much. The concept elaborates over the two basic forms of “circle” and “square”. From the birth of the universe to the human activities happening on Earth everything is associated with “circles” and “squares”; therefore these two shapes became the ancient Chinese abstraction language in depicting nature. There is an old saying in China: “the heaven is round and the earth is square” in which the “circle” or “round” symbolizes the infinity of the universe while the “square” is a manifestation of the trajectory of human consciousness and behavior. Therefore “originaire” is the continuous art activities powered up by this consciousness.

As time pass by the concept of“originaire”intermingled and interpenetrated with art ideas architecture space installation and communications.
The five different installation shown in the Virgin Garden in Venice is an experiment that I conducted with the five participating architects and artists based on my years of cross disciplinary experiences in art creation and architecture research in an attempt to integrate the six different elements into the concept of“originaire”. Beside the installations this book itself is a concept book that demonstrates the art relay of the past twenty years.
Therefore the book “Originaire” is not only an ordinary exhibition catalogue or guide but also a part of the exhibition itself.

This concept book represents our thinking of the most basic questions of design and creation; it is not challenging architecture’s expertise but rather becomes a provider of a special communication media for the dialogue on the philosophical platform for architecture and art. Although the space for exhibition in the Virgin Garden is limited if you read closely and think carefully you will find that the sphere of influence that these exhibits present is very broad.

“Originaire” is more important in that it presents a value rather than being just a concept. We see the original structure of the world as the beginning of order. The theme “originaire” is not a mere depiction of reality; it exceeds the topicality of architecture.

There are many ways to expound the meaning of “originaire”; however I had been perplexed about it before I finally found its ultimate meaning.

In the spring of 2012 I travelled to Qufu Shandong which is the birth place of Confucius whom we all consider to be a sage. It was said that Confucius was born by the foot of Mount Ni. I climbed up the mountain with my friends and was immediately attracted by the mountain rocks. Although the rocks looked ordinary their texture indicated that they are conglomerate rocks symbolizing billions of years of crustal movements. I slowed my steps to carefully observe these rocks that have unduplicated textures and was reminded of the orogenesis billions of years ago and the insignificance if human beings compared to nature. Beyond all doubt “originaire” could be a retrospection at the prehistoric ages but more importantly the “originaire” that we want to seek after is the enlightenment of human civilization.

On the top of Mount Ni I recalled a famous saying of the ancient Chinese “Had Confucius not been born mankind would still be questing through darkness.” “Originaire” is the original intention from the bottom of heart; and this original intention is the origin of ethics and civilization that Confucius had bestowed upon us.

“Originaire” is the combined meaning of "original"(Yuan) and "initial"(Chu).
In Chinese language "YUAN" means the very beginning - the source - of a body of water. We adopted the concept of “originaire” in an attempt to seek after the memories and origin of civilization.