Xinyu Li

Vanishing Paths simulates the chaos and decay of Hakka dwellings, evoking the structural disintegration of architecture. Through the reuse of discarded materials, remnants from one set of ruins are transferred to another, weaving new narratives within redundant spaces.

The peeling wall surfaces guide the viewer toward the first perspective—an internal viewpoint from within the ruins. The second layer of observation derives from satellite imagery, merging the layouts of two Hakka villages once inhabited by the artist’s ancestors. This aerial perspective reveals irregular, damaged rooftops now entirely overtaken by plants.

《无痕之途》模拟了客家住宅的混乱和腐朽状态，唤起建筑结构性的解体。通过废弃材料的再利用，将一组遗迹的残骸转移到另一组遗迹中，在冗余空间中编织出新的叙事。

剥落的墙皮引导观众看向第一重视角，即身处于废墟内部观察的视角。另一重观察则是来自于卫星影像的布局，结合自祖辈曾生活过的两个客家村落。这个视角是从空中俯视，破损的不规则屋顶被植被完全覆盖。

Countless tiny mould spots trace the trajectory of migration, each one representing an individual within a dispersed community. Starting from the upper left corner, the mould spreads rapidly along the neglected walls of the dwelling, following the path of the migrating group. Like particles, they gradually gather on the left side and form a denser structure as they flow toward the centre—resembling an arrival at the spiritual heart of Hakka culture: the ancestral hall. From there, they disperse once again. The farther they travel to the right, the more sparse and scattered the particles (or mould spots) become, until they eventually vanish into the boundless wilderness. These migrations do not follow officially defined historical routes; rather, they are meandering trails pieced together from fragmented oral histories.

无数细小的霉斑是迁移的轨迹，也是离散的族群里一个个独立的个体。从左上角开始，霉斑随着族群迁移，沿着疏于打理的屋舍墙壁迅速蔓延。它们如粒子一样在左侧逐渐集结，流动至中心区域时形成了较为紧密的结构，就像是抵达了客家文化的精神中心——祖堂一样。随后，又再度出发、扩散。越往右边走，粒子（或霉斑）就越松散和稀疏，直至无影无踪，消失在无边的荒原之中。这些迁移并非标准界定的历史路线，而是由零散的口述历史拼凑起来的羊肠小道。