Michelle Fung 馮捲雪 

Artist Statement​

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My ongoing project “The World of 2084” (2015-2084) is a lifelong interdisciplinary project combining geopolitics, speculative fiction and ecotopian/dystopian world-building. In recent years, I have developed a signature style, combining woodcut and painting. These woodcut  paintings feature magical landscapes dotted with fantastical animals and intricate pattern. With craftsmanship central to my practice, I explore woodcut paintings as a versatile medium for artist books, animation and installations.

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Begun in 2015 and projected to continue until 2084, this Orwellian world houses five imaginary countries in an Orwellian world (G5, the Great Five Industrial Nations): Contradictoria, Northlandia, Dreamland, Aristocratic Union and The Republic of Strata. These imagined worlds offer a narrative tool for discussing our fears, insecurities, and confusion with the environmental challenges we face today as participants in the contemporary capitalistic world.

In forms of ink paintings, hand-painted animation, performances, woodcut prints and installation, Contradictoria (2015-ongoing) presents an absurd solution to air pollution by using it as building materials for Polluta, an “ecotopian” artist colony. Polluta’s perfect façade crumbles as we learn the truth.

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Northlandia’s point of departure began with my first arctic residency in 2022 as a body of 24 woodcut prints. These small works portray the arctic country’s magical animals and their absurd solution to the melting glaciers under Ice Queen the polar bear. As I create large woodcut paintings, interactive installations, artist/picture books and a hand-carved animation, I explore the relationships between myth-making, storytelling, climate change and the arctic landscape.

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The other three countries are in their respective research stages.  

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The grand fictional universe translates fluidly between media and among bodies of works—they are both autonomous and interrelated. The narrative always begins with a bare-bones story that is followed by empirical and literary research and a rigorous studio practice. Dark humour, surreal landscapes and anthropomorphic figures populate these imaginary countries.

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As the work continues to shift until 2084, I look forward to having a retrospective exhibition in the corresponding year.