NC Qin, Compass Broken 2020, cast blackwood crystal glass, LED lights, steel, Perspex, marble, 44 x 56 x 43cm
NC Qin
NC Qin is an Australian-born emerging sculptor who works mostly with glass. Her works reflect on her ancestral Chinese culture from the distance of this further shore. Compass Broken and three Moongates explore this sense of dislocation. Compass Broken refers to the ancient Daoist compass which shows the symbols of each of the mythical guardian beasts that rule the cardinal directions – the Tortoise of the North, the Tiger of the East, the Phoenix of the South and the Dragon of the West. But this compass is cracked and no longer functional, representing ‘third culture kids’ who try to reach out to the culture of their ancestors but find only a superficial sense of connection.
Watch NC Qin’s interview with curators Luise Guest and Jennifer Yang
Think About/Discuss:
How does NC Qin define her separation from other glass artists, what is it that draws her to this medium? What do you think she means when she describes this attraction?
NC Qin speaks about Daoist colours. Research these colours and align them to their rightful natural elements of Daoist guardian beast symbolism.
What concerns does NC Qin share when observing the gap between her generation and her parents’ generation? How do these concerns take form in her work?