The installations, paintings and sculptures explore complex family dynamics through the transience of raw silk, and durability of wood and aerospace aluminium. Hu sources both organic and inorganic materials which are considered waste products, such as baby teeth, scrap pieces from urban demolitions and obsolete domestic objects. These overlooked, defunct materials each have their own lifespan and are revived through her sensitive arrangements. Hu contextualises this temporal collapse through the title of the show in bringing together two Ancient Chinese symbols: the Mayfly – a short-lived insect representing impermanence – and the Lilac Knot – a cold-weather resistant flower, native to the artist’s hometown of Harbin, signifying endurance and the perplexity of human desire.
