Wu Zilin and his Exploration Ego and Superego in Art

Wu Zilin’s artwork is grounded in the practice of personal performance art. His main creative focus lies in the realm of performed actions, the remnants and traces of these actions, as well as the bodily language and dynamics captured during the performances. Taking a profound perspective on self-awareness, he delves into his reflections on Sigmund Freud’s «Id, Ego, and Superego» theory within his artistic creation. In today’s society, the loss and fragmentation of the self have become major concerns. This article explores Wu Zilin’s works, such as «Landscape Domain,» «Remnants of Actions,» and «Physical Actions,» which involve various media, including integrated material painting, conceptual photography, light design, ready-made installations, and experimental music. Employing digital technology, Wu Zilin collages and layers the acquired materials to combine and exaggerate inner elements from his performance art, ultimately presenting surreal images that intersect time and space. His artwork emphasizes the use of unique language to express emotional changes regarding the body and experiences through self-awareness, showcasing the impact of art on the artist’s psyche and reactions.

Starting with Marcel Duchamp’s «Fountain,» contemporary art has gradually permeated and integrated into our present-day social life, evolving to include various forms such as digital art. Although art takes on different manifestations in different times, spaces, experiences, levels, and forms, it undoubtedly remains closely tied to society and human beings, with many artists placing a strong focus on their understanding and contemplation of themselves and society. Wu Zilin is one such artist who continuously seeks self-discovery within contemporary art and relentlessly pursues self-awareness in his artistic creations.

Wu Zilin’s artwork involves various media, including integrated material painting, conceptual photography, light design, ready-made installations, and experimental music. Utilizing digital technology, he collages and layers the acquired materials to present surreal images that intersect time and space, all based on his personal practice of performance art. His creative focus lies in the realm of performed actions, the remnants and traces of these actions, as well as the bodily language and dynamics captured during the performances. Taking a profound perspective on self-awareness, he delves into his reflections on Sigmund Freud’s «Id, Ego, and Superego» theory within his artistic creation. Wu Zilin’s performance art explores the interaction between personal actions and artistic will, with his focus on the realm of performed actions, remnants and traces of these actions, as well as the bodily language and dynamics captured during the performances, all serving to explore the depths of his inner self.

The works «Mountain» and «Metamorphosis» are both expressions of Wu Zilin’s exploration of his subconscious. Both pieces are built on the foundation of his bodily language expression. He employs bodily actions to depict the deepest desires and impulses within his consciousness, displaying a strong primal force in his works. Wu Zilin’s exploration of the «Id» aims to answer the question of whether society determines one’s self-awareness. Through a combination of performance art and new forms of imagery, he presents his reflections on the «Id» in the most direct manner, showcasing his emotions and desires.

The series «Confinement» and «Cultivation» are Wu Zilin’s profound exploration of the «Ego» based on his exploration of the «Id» and «Self.» «Confinement» and «Cultivation,» utilizing digital integration and art micro-spray, serve as his primary creative methods, expressing his understanding of reality through the combination of performance art and digital art. «Confinement» and «Cultivation» portray his adaptation, perception, willpower, and control amid various influences from society and his inner self.

Wu Zilin’s extensive body of work underscores his exploration of the «Superego.» In his earlier period of self and «Id» contemplation, he created a series of works, such as his «Existing Consciousness» series, which stands out as a prominent representation of his transition from the «Id» and «Ego» to the realm of the «Superego.»

One of Wu Zilin’s most prominent artworks is «The Glass Feast,» which represents his in-depth exploration of the «Superego.» He believes that «glass, from completeness to fragmentation, and then from fragmentation to reintegration, its intrinsic attributes remain unchanged, but its forms and meanings change. In this, glass finds its own value. It is the same with life.» Through this artwork, we can see that the artist has transcended his previous contemplative state regarding the «Id» and «Ego.» Influenced by societal norms, ethics, and values, he metaphorically compares himself to glass, representing his artistic realm of the «Superego.»

Text: Zhang Ziang.

Images. The glass Feast (detail), Metamorphosys, Confinement