Silia Ka Tung

b. 1974, Xinjiang, China
lives and works in London

After Ka Tung’s formative years training as a fine art painter both in Hong Kong and London she went on to experimenting with sewn textiles, creating soft sculptures of fantasy animals and organic shapes such as branches of trees. Her work is a psychedelic ballet of organic shapes in saturated colours dancing together with mysterious creatures reminding us of ancient mythology. The mix of this modern dreamland and the influences of Chinese culture and tradition make her work hypnotizing and unique.

Voyage to Worlds Unknown, 2019

Location: Festival House

Silia Ka Tung’s work is heavily inspired by myths, folklore, magic and the many wondrous phenomena of the natural world.

This site-specific installation is based on the Greek myth of Odysseus’ encounter with the Lotus Eaters on the mysterious Lotus Island and the intoxicating and narcotic effects of the lotus fruit. The pear-shaped hanging pod of the lotus fruit takes the shape of figs. Ka Tung is fascinated by this feminine form. The textile creations on the floor refer to tar pits, depressions in the earth’s surface filled with thick liquid asphalt. They often contain millions of ancient animal bones and fossils and act as time capsules. ‘Voyage to Worlds Unknown’ forms a visual journey that tells the complexity of nature through colorful folktales and mythology.