黑料不打烊

Tang Xin, founder and curator of Matrix – a recent addition to the Taikang Art Museum (TAM) – writes that the hanging installation and meeting place is a long sought-after “third space” for those in the CBD business area of Beijing, something she and her cofounder had long been working to include in the museum. She writes that the piece, Matrix, seeks to create an “emotional space for people” to know one another. The design of the suspended, inflated nest is modeled after the womb; an expandable, enterable, concave oval. Matte white on the outside and clear and transparent on the inside, it exposes all of the compartments that hold its air-filled shape, making it a structure filled with curved and circular lines. Suspending it in the air maintains the ground level available for exhibitions, allowing the entire use of the gallery’s arial and floor space.

Stress distribution diagram of air membrane structure. Courtesy of Taikang Art Museum

Architect and designer, Chen Yanchun of CPLUS design studio concocted this cocoon with the viewer in mind. Its outer shell “membrane structure”, according to his essay, “allows people to have physical contact with the material, and the soft surface can interact with the human body. The use of translucent film not only achieves the space occupation of geometric volume, but also reaches a relatively light state. People can enter the "Matrix body" through the steel ladder.” He also agrees with Tang that this space is very necessary in the heart of Beijing’s industry and business sector, in that the design of the high-rise buildings emulates an urban landscape and creates a “sense of oppression… Unlike the architectural feeling of most glass curtain walls surrounded by reinforced concrete around CBD, the "Matrix" hopes to provide a soft perception like returning to the Matrix's womb, so that people can be separated from the daily space and feel the connection between space and life again.” 

Matrix design sketches via installation pamphlet, 2025. Courtesy of the author

Tang and Chen both have a point in that the inexhaustible city landscape within the cold desert of Beijing can seem like an everlasting illusion. With spaces and installations like this being created, I can only wonder if Chinese citizens really want out of the illusion or are they seeking to dig further into it. With Matrix as a reference, the space’s intentions are just, necessary, and, from a design perspective, quite complex and interesting. Yet, some challenges still arise when stepping back and looking at the intention versus its reality.

Installation view, Matrix, 2024. Courtesy: Zhu Yu Jia/ Taikang Art Museum

Even with the intent to create a well-designed meeting space, there are still barriers to even get there:

- Weight: As a woman who is not skinny, I’m always aware of my mass in every situation. This instance was no exception. I cannot remember if Matrix has a weight restriction in its liability disclosure (which you have to sign before you enter), but here it’s something that you cannot avoid due to the installations original weight and can exclude people, creating a detriment to its purpose.
- Price: Because TAM is a non-profit museum and is one of the few museums in Beijing that are free, I was surprised to know that the experience of climbing into Matrix was ticketed. This to me discourages engagement from viewers who wandered into the museum and are expecting to experience the museum as it has always been.  
- Accessibility: The ladder to get into the installation is quite wobbly, there is a noticeable gap between it and the ladder, and when you enter you basically have to fall in – it might just be an issue with my balance. The wobbly nature of the material and design discourages conversations as well that are productive and not geared towards the experience of being inside of the installation.
- Awareness: The installation currently seems like an insider-knowledge aspect of the museum. Although its deinstallation is still unknown even to the staff, it is no longer featured even on the museum’s WeChat channel. Had I not visited earlier this year, it would have been a surprise to me. This is a bit counterproductive to me in terms of its ethos which is to encourage community and a sort of getaway in this business district of Beijing.

Inside installation view, Matrix, 2024. Courtesy: Zhu Yu Jia/ Taikang Art Museum

From this gander, I know that overall, this space within a space is a fun, well-thought-out invention that, like any design, has its quirks and limits. I hope that the museum does not have any plans to take it down any time soon.

Outer installation view, Matrix, 2024. Courtesy: Zhu Yu Jia/ Taikang Art Museum

Matrix is a consigned installation at the Taikang Art Museum in Beijing, China which opened to the public on July 6, 2024, and is ongoing.

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