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Mark Chung
Calenture
2023
Wood, plastic sheet
Dimensions variable
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A large curved wooden frame covered with plastic sheet bisects the main gallery space, structurally reminiscent of a hoop house. Also known as a Quonset design, the hoop house structure is also commonly used in green houses. The cylindrical shape lends itself to provide shelter and ample enough light all around for the vegetation growing within. Since his recent move to the Netherlands, Chung has felt a drastic difference between the humid tropical climate of Hong Kong and the cold dry weather of Amsterdam. This uncomfortable difference only dissipates when Chung enters the botanical gardens and greenhouses of Amsterdam, where conditions are kept optimal for tropical plants gathered through different means. The title of the work, Calenture, references the fever afflicted on sailors in tropical climates