Bathhouse

Bathhouse is a monumental installation that serves as both an archaeological reclamation and a critical social mirror. This immersive environment recreates a vanishing Beijing public bathhouse through over forty meticulously crafted ceramic elderly figures, each radiating vivid expression and narrative depth, accompanied by a haunting stop-motion video.

The work functions as a powerful cultural autopsy, dissecting the erosion of communal space in modern society. It mourns the loss of intimacy, honesty, and social cohesion once nurtured in such bathhouses—spaces that offered dignity beyond economic utility. By focusing on the elderly, whose worth is often overlooked, the installation prompts urgent reflection on what—and who—is discarded in the name of progress.

Bathhouse transcends cultural specificity. It acts as a participatory monument, evoking nostalgia for East Asian and former Eastern Bloc viewers while revealing hidden social histories to Western audiences. Its true power lies in sparking dialogue, as visitors often share personal memories of similar vanished spaces. In weaving together personal testimony, material richness, and political awareness, I don’t merely preserve a fading world—but also builds a compassionate common ground where collective memory and humanity are solemnly, powerfully celebrated.