Manshee over haar installatie I Have Nothing To Hide

The cabinet is empty and its door stands open. Sound emerges from inside: someone is reading a story aloud, while slowed-down jazz music plays in the background. Manshee Zheng (student BEAR Fine Art) explains: ‘It is an autofictional story, with elements from my own life, such as a car accident I experienced. But it also includes the experiences of others, which makes the story feel disorienting. The jazz evokes a film noir atmosphere or a series like Twin Peaks, with characters trying to find their way.’

The cabinet forms part of a larger installation titled I Have Nothing To Hide. It includes, among other things, a 3D-printed human figure that turns out to be hollow inside, as well as a series of transparent plastic folders. These are printed with soft, white photographic fragments of people, combined with instantly recognisable computer icons. When you see a stylised cloud symbol, you immediately know your files are stored in the cloud.

Zheng explains that she is fascinated by Jean Baudrillard’s idea of hyperreality: the philosophical concept that the boundary between physical reality and its representations is becoming increasingly blurred. This can be seen, for example, in her plastic computer folders, which are clearly inspired by physical archive folders. ‘There is a lot of repetition in my work, many loops. I want the viewer to feel as though the different parts of the installation are circling around one another. As a result, you naturally begin looking around you, towards other components in the space.’

I ask Zheng whether the images on the folders are found materials. ‘I made them myself. There’s also a selfie among them. I found it interesting to use a photo of myself, especially in a time when people can seem almost over-present online.’ Yet the image is not sharp, but rather resembles an abstraction. This creates a certain tension within the installation. Zheng is present in the work, but at the same time seems to dissolve into it. ‘Isn’t it ironic that the constant need for visibility can ultimately lead to a kind of disappearance?’ That is the question that lingers in the end.