Maze of life

People entering French artist Remy Aron's exhibition in Beijing will find a green maze in the center of the showroom. The design was specially created for the show, and visitors can actually explore its passageways.

It echoes the title of the exhibition, Meditating Labyrinth of Life, as the intricate structure of a labyrinth, as well as the extended implications and metaphors of it, is a recurring theme in creation, suggesting relations between one and oneself, people and society, according to Fred Dervin, the exhibition's curator. In his paintings, Aron has built physical, visual and mental labyrinths for his audience to explore, arranging daily found objects in a way to confuse people, make them misunderstand and think, and finally, to encourage them to find solutions. "I start from the chaos of the canvas and of myself," says Aron. "And I move forward to order." His work amplifies the small corners and moments in life, depicting them in a surrealistic manner. He compels viewers into a state of meditation, by which he hopes that people can reflect on the past and present, and find a way of coexistence. An international research fellow of the China National Academy of Painting, Aron has engaged in cultural exchanges between China and France for over two decades. The exhibition, at the Ici Labas gallery, runs until Aug 13.

10:30 am-6 pm, closed on Mondays. D10, 798 art zone, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 130-0117-0598.