The Medium (2023) is a comic work, an interplay of critique and commentary, myth and mirth, where tragedy and courtesy, linger in the air. Invited to participate in the exhibition "Dwelling in Tranquility – Reinventing Traditional Gardens" at Hong Kong’s Palace Museum, I approach my role as both artist and outside observer, akin to the joker in a deck of cards, I do not belong in the pack yet I am tasked with navigating the complexities of cultural heritage and modernity.

The exhibition transforms the concept of a traditional Chinese garden into an artificial, neon-lit film set, populated by prefabricated conceptual works sourced from Chinese factories. This setting prompts me to question the authenticity of garden experiences and the underlying intentions of the exhibition itself.

To expose the layers of artifice, I dissect the exhibition's construction, framing it as a reality show on a fabricated set. I then invite myself, the artists and audiences alike to assume roles in this show. Multiple cameras and angles deconstruct the myth of interviews. What is spontaneous or rehearsed, on or off the record, true or feigned between interviewer and subject, can no longer be concealed.  

Through this lens, The Medium scrutinises the authenticity of our experiences, placing participants on an authenticity barometer that reflects the zeitgeist of Hong Kong. As we become increasingly disconnected from materiality in favour of conceptual frameworks and machine-mediated experiences, my work challenges us to confront these very same modalities of thought, expression and being.