Advertisement
Art
LifestyleArts

Thai artist’s shifting maze in Hong Kong reflects the choices we make in life

The moving walls at Wit Pimkanchanapong’s kinetic maze at Projct represent the unpredictable paths our lives take

3-MIN READ3-MIN
Listen
A visitor navigates Thai artist Wim Pimkanchanapong’s “Infinite Maze 189” at Projct in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong.
Emma White

In a coolly lit gallery in Hong Kong’s Sai Ying Pun neighbourhood, guests can find a maze with a mind of its own.

Hanging from the ceiling are square, grey panels that shimmer in the light. Some are raised high, illuminating a clear path through the structure, while others hang low, obscuring the way forward.

A cord dangles from the ceiling. Pulling it triggers both sound and movement as the panels slide up and down, exposing new paths in the labyrinth and sealing off others.

This kinetic installation is the brainchild of Thai artist Wit Pimkanchanapong. Born in Bangkok in 1976, Wit studied architecture at the city’s Chulalongkorn University before earning a master’s in visual communication in the UK. He has spent decades exploring what he calls “soft architecture” – a practice focused on fluid, temporary structures that interact with their environment and the people within them.

“Infinite Maze 189” is the latest iteration of an ongoing series. Wit has staged previous versions in Bangkok and as a striking centrepiece within Chubb Life’s lounge during Art Basel Hong Kong earlier this year.

A view of the maze from outside the gallery’s windows. Photo: Projct
A view of the maze from outside the gallery’s windows. Photo: Projct

The current exhibition is housed at the headquarters of Projct, a Hong Kong creative studio located at 189 Queen’s Road West – giving the maze its numeric title.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x