“Underwater, on Fire” presents a dynamic dialogue between artists Shuyi Cao (b. 1990, Guangzhou) and Candice Lin (b, 1979, Concord, Massachusetts), staged through new works engaging with the ancient medium of ceramics. In the hands of the two artists, clay is more than simply a material: instead, it becomes a portal activating transformations of time, matter, and myth. Cao and Lin, who previously connected at a residency program, both create art that revolves around material circulation and experiences of trauma. While Cao focuses on the links between the biological and the geological, investigating hidden sites of environmental degradation, Lin’s practice is rooted in historical traumas born out of colonial trade and diasporic experience. This exhibition attempts to move beyond paradigms for the making and display of ceramics centered around individual objects, adopting a more holistic approach in order to draw out the medium’s narrative potential.

In the two interrelated environments that make up the exhibition, the artists explore how the process of sculpting and firing clay can transform the five traditional Chinese elements. More broadly, they experiment with the power of water and fire to alter material forms. Their interventions tie together disparate activities driven by the human desire for accumulation—from archaeology to mining, irrigation, and metallurgy—before ultimately arriving at bold speculation on the formation of legends and mythical imagery. Lin draws inspiration from the symbol of the ouroboros (a snake eating its own tail, representing cyclical renewal as well as self-destruction) and Yixing’s traditional dragon kilns to create a hybridized sculptural installation that is part snake, part dragon, and part iron furnace — at once resembling manufacturing equipment and the remains of an unidentifiable creature worshipped as a relic. Cao, meanwhile, constructs a fictious underwater research site based on her study of archaeological practices and the water deities of different cultures. In this space poised somewhere between crystal palace and archaeological dig, aquatic microorganisms are reincarnated as new submarine gods. Aimed at opening up discussion about material history and animacy, this exhibition has been specifically prepared for the unique context of UCCA Clay in Yixing, home of zisha (purple clay) ceramics.

“Underwater, on Fire” is curated by UCCA Curator Luan Shixuan. UCCA thanks the members of UCCA Foundation Council, International Circle, and Young Associates, as well as Lead Partner Aranya, Lead Art Book Partner DIOR, Lead Imaging Partner vivo, Presenting Partner Bloomberg, and Supporting Partners AIA, Barco, Dulux, Genelec, SKP Beijing, and Stey.