On the Cusp of Expression 

December 12, 2024 – January 18, 2025

Opening: December 12th, 6pm

Artists: Dexi TIAN  |  Moyu ZHANG

The exhibition On the Cusp of Expression invites viewers to cross an invisible boundary, one where words dissolve to give way to the power of forms and materials. Through the works of Tian Dexi and Zhang Moyu, the audience is invited to explore a space of uncertainty, where signs, colors, and materials take over from language to unveil the unspeakable.

Tian Dexi works with raw materials, transforming them to reveal their hidden memory. His works, situated at the crossroads of minimalism and symbolism, examine the relationship between the visible and invisible, the tangible and the ephemeral. His materials, sometimes rough, sometimes diaphanous, evoke mental landscapes where every detail becomes a portal to an inner world. In his artistic universe, words seem to disappear: it is the material itself that speaks, carried by a primordial breath.

Zhang Moyu, on the other hand, explores the layers of time through compositions that blend delicacy with density. Her works, often dominated by neutral tones and shadow play, use light to suggest the transience of things. Each canvas seems suspended between two temporalities: the past, inscribed in the artist’s motifs and gestures, and the present, where the work reveals itself to the gaze of the viewer. Her creations murmur unfinished stories, on the cusp of expression, as if awaiting the viewer to inscribe their own narratives upon them.

The title of the exhibition evokes that fragile moment when language falters, unable to fully translate the human experience. Tian Dexi and Zhang Moyu offer works that dialogue with each other while creating eloquent silences. This dialogue opens a space for imagination, a threshold to cross in order to feel what escapes rationality.

On the Cusp of Expression is thus a reflection on the limits of visual arts: their ability to express the inexpressible, not through language but through emotion, intuition, and contemplation.

ARTISTS｜Dexi TIAN

 Graduating with honors from the École Nationale d’Art de Cergy-Pontoise in 2012, Dexi TIAN is a Chinese-born visual artist trained at the Shandong Academy of Fine Arts. Since his arrival in France in 2007, he has explored the creative potential of reclaimed objects. These objects, imbued with history and memory, form the basis of his artistic installations.

Tian’s work draws on the concept of the palimpsest. Each object retains traces of its past while adopting new meanings. By assembling these fragments of life, he creates visual and spatial poems. Through forms and colors, his installations narrate stories and open avenues to new narratives. 

Three core principles guide his creations: economic, ecological, and poetic. Tian tailors his work to the specific characteristics of each location. During local explorations, he collects materials and inspiration to produce immersive installations adapted to the exhibition’s context. His skillful use of textures and spatial arrangements generates resonant energy. The deconstruction and recomposition of objects introduce temporal and material breaks, offering a storytelling approach that is both implicit and egalitarian.

ARTISTE｜Moyu ZHANG

Born in Shanghai in 1978, Moyu grew up in Sichuan province, where she initially pursued three years of medical studies. While enriching, this path failed to provide her with a clear vision for her future. It was only after enrolling in art school that she discovered, alongside painting, a deep passion for photography—an art form that allowed her to express her unique perspective on the world. For seven years, she dedicated herself to photography, exploring the nuances of light and capturing life through her lens.

In 2010, Moyu made a pivotal decision to leave her homeland and move to France. There, she resumed her studies in visual arts, fully committing to her artistic vocation, primarily through painting, which became her chosen medium for forging her own creative path. Alongside her work as a painter, she continued to develop her interest in dance and theater, which she had begun exploring in 2004. Her fascination with spatial awareness and internal movement led her to experiment with various approaches, including Butoh, a Japanese form of contemporary dance that enabled her to deepen her exploration of physical expression. A versatile artist, Moyu’s journey has seen her become a painter, dancer, performer, and teacher of dance and the musicality of movement. Her artistic practice is defined by a constant quest for authenticity and truth.