WONG PING

Flashing, pop-like imagery; visual and auditory narrations that explicitly touch upon sex, politics and social relations; vibrant installations that extend into three dimensions the artist’s fantastical animation world – these are but cornerstones of Wong Ping’s (b. 1984, Hong Kong) practice that combines the crass and the colourful to mount a discourse around repressed sexuality, personal sentiments and political limitations. Hong Kong born and raised, Wong Ping discusses his observations of society, from teenage to adulthood, using a visual language that sits on the border of shocking and amusing. Edouard Malingue Gallery is pleased to present ‘Who’s the Daddy’, Wong Ping’s second solo show in Hong Kong, featuring his new animation works which explores the trials and tribulations of parenthood. In addition to the central animation, a er which the exhibition is titled, ‘Who’s the Daddy’ features a second video presented on a notebook, as well as several sculpture works, extending the artist’s visual world throughout the gallery space, immersing the viewer in his challenging fictional sequence.
Despite drawing its name and inspiration from a popular Chinese nursery rhyme, the playful imagery and comically-illustrated characters in ‘Who’s the Daddy’ (2017) depict scenes with a much darker undertone than an initial glance might suggest. Introducing the tale of a disgraceful man who has unexpectedly stumbled across the path of child-rearing, Wong Ping’s characteristically neon hues and explicit style explore the challenges of fatherhood. The futility of political identity is addressed throughout the film beginning with the protagonist’s seemingly superficial comparison of sexuality to le /right-wing political dynamics. The viewer follows the man’s dating app trial as he attempts to evaluate potential partner’s political beliefs by analysing their profile photos. His eventual ‘match’ with a strictly religious woman, and their ensuing relationship, reveals the man’s shameful satisfaction with subjugation, a fetish that is further explored by a juxtaposition of references to his childhood memories. Through a combination of the man’s contemptible powerlessness and the woman’s tenuous religious beliefs, the protagonist ultimately takes on the merciless role of a single father.