Hu Bing's Shattered Debris, Sheer Transformation at Flatiron Prow Art Space

Hu Bing's installation Shattered Debris, Sheer Transformation occupied the triangular tip of the Flatiron Building at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue on 23rd Street from March 2 to June 3, 2012. The work incorporated broken sake bottles suspended from the ceiling, automotive glass shards, iron, resin, and chaise lounges draped in cheesecloth. A table with colored bottles placed on broken windshields was positioned at the apex, while chaise lounges sat centrally. Hu Bing drew inspiration from her experiences during the Cultural Revolution in Shanghai, channeling anger and alienation into the piece. The dangerous yet beautiful broken glass also reflected her shock at witnessing car crashes outside her window in Williamsburg, her first New York home. This dark elegy for survival explores transformation of negative emotions across two cultures.