“‘Surplus value’ is value that people recognise beyond existing value. It is overlooked value. It is not about exploitation, but about discovery and creation. It is the ‘usefulness of uselessness.’”
— Song Dong
Glistening and shimmering across all angles of its iridescent mirrored surfaces, Usefulness of Uselessness – Rectangular Window No. 6 is a profound and immersive work by artist Song Dong that invites viewers to experience its infinite illusory space within an intimate proximity. Song Dong is considered a tour de force in the Chinese contemporary art scene and his works have proved himself as one of the most important figures of the Conceptual art movement in China.
Taking reference from scenes of everyday life, Song’s practice is often unconventional and seeks to transcend the liminal boundaries between art and life. Composed with waste materials from demolished buildings such as old wooden windows, mirror panels, glass, hinges, handles, and window bolts, Usefulness of Uselessness – Rectangular Window No. 6 draws upon the concept of urban renewal as the artist injects these discarded objects with artistic value beyond their functional purpose.
The present work belongs to the artist’s most representative Usefulness of Uselessness series and it marks as a significant sculptural masterpiece to be offered at auction. Probing notions of memory, self-expression, and temporality, Song encourages viewers to consider the cultural meaning of windows through the reflections of his framed windowpanes. They act as a barrier between living spaces and the external world. When viewed closely from different perspectives, colours and forms begin to shift and alter the world’s appearance in the eyes of the beholder. The term ‘usefulness of uselessness’ in the present work’s title further alludes to the idea of surplus value – a concept that the artist began exploring in 2014. Despite being finely polished, the salvaged window panels serve as a useless byproduct of modernisation.
Born in 1966, Song Dong currently resides and works in Beijing. He is represented by Pace Gallery and has been honoured with solo exhibitions at Pace Gallery, New York, 2023, 2019; Pace Gallery, Hong Kong, 2021; Pace Gallery, London, 2019; Pace Gallery, Seoul, 2017; Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada, 2016; Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, 2015; Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada, 2010; Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2009. Furthermore, he has participated in numerous international exhibitions including Documenta, 2012; the Venice Biennale, 2011; Liverpool Biennial, 2010; São Paolo Biennale, 2004; Istanbul Biennale, 2003; Gwangju Biennale, 1995, 2002, and 2006; Asia-Pacific Triennale of Contemporary Art, 2002; Guangzhou Triennial, 2002; Taipei Biennale, 2002; and the 18th World Wide Video Festival, 2000.