Rae-Yen Song's '•~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•' at Tramway: A Mythic Dive into Parasitism and Ancestry
Rae-Yen Song's exhibition titled '•~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•' is currently on display at Tramway in Glasgow until 16 August 2026, after which it will move to FACT Liverpool from 18 September 2026 to 14 February 2027. This exhibition centers around tua mak (大眼, 'big eyes'), an ancestor who tragically drowned at the age of thirteen, and transforms this narrative into an engaging multimedia experience. Highlights include a microbeast pagoda, a cephalopod-like entity, a pond functioning as a 'living musical instrument,' and intricately embroidered tapestries, delving into themes of regeneration and parasitism. Notable pieces comprise 'song dynasty ○○○○' (2025) and collaborations with sound artist Flora Yin Wong. Additionally, Song's work will be showcased in British Art Show 10 from 2 October 2026 to 18 June 2028.
Key facts
- Exhibition '•~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•' at Tramway, Glasgow until 16 August 2026.
- Travels to FACT Liverpool from 18 September 2026 to 14 February 2027.
- Centers on tua mak, an ancestor who drowned at sea off Singapore at age 13.
- Inspired by the sand mason worm, a polychaete that covers itself in shells and debris.
- Song uses fabrics inherited from grandmother, viewing them as 'skins of ancestors'.
- Collaboration with sound artist Flora Yin Wong, who spliced field recordings from Song's family.
- Previous work 'song dynasty ○○○○' (2025) exhibited at Folkestone Triennial and now at Tramway.
- Song's work will be in British Art Show 10: A Chorus of Strangers, curated by Ekow Eshun, from 2 October 2026 to 18 June 2028.
- Song's practice involves self-mythologising as resistance to colonial and patriarchal narratives.
- The exhibition includes a pond that acts as a 'living musical instrument'.
Entities
Artists
- Rae-Yen Song
- Alberta Whittle
- Alicia Radage
- William Blake
- A. S. Byatt
- Frank Herbert
- Flora Yin Wong
- Tommy Perman
- Ekow Eshun
Institutions
- Tramway
- FACT Liverpool
- Folkestone Triennial
- CCA Glasgow
- British Art Show 10
Locations
- Glasgow
- United Kingdom
- Liverpool
- Folkestone
- Singapore
- Scotland
- England
- Indonesia