de Sarthe is pleased to announce its second solo exhibition for T’ang Haywen, one of the three most important Chinese Post-war artists from the French diaspora, along with Zao Wou-Ki and Chu Teh-Chun. T’ang Boogie: Film d’artiste & featured rare paintings opens ‪January 26, and highlights an avant-garde 1973 video work created by the artist in collaboration with filmmaker Tom Tam. A selection of rare paintings used in the film will be displayed in the exhibition alongside the video work. 

The artist’s film, titled “T’ang Boogie” is an early experimental work of video art constructed to further explore deeper truths about nature and the subconscious. Throughout much of T’ang Haywen’s artwork these ideas are explored in the context of traditional Taoist philosophies and Zen Buddhism. In “T’ang Boogie” the artist and Tom Tam quickly and repeatedly flash dozens of T’ang’s ink on paper artworks one after another, altering both speed and order of succession, in order to create a striking sensory experience and visual effect. The immersive nature of the video and the speed with which the images are displayed provoke a visceral and mind-altering effect.  

Displayed alongside the video are eight works of ink on paper, diptychs, each of which is featured within the film. On their own the works are an effort to create a visual language that represents the concepts of Taoism and Zen Buddhism.