'Macule', a specially commissioned wallpaper by Taiwanese artist Michael Lin, is currently on display at the Hayward Gallery Café in London's Southbank Centre
The Southbank Centre in London has commissioned Taiwanese artist Michael Lin to create a new public artwork for the Hayward Gallery Café, now available for public viewing. Lin's work Macule injects a lively energy into the Hayward Gallery's brutalist architecture.
The piece showcases Lin's signature style of repeating plum blossom patterns commonly found in traditional designs from Taiwan, China, and Japan, layered in hues of pink, red, and yellow. Through these patterns, Lin uses visual language and traditional motifs to showcase the blending of cultural identity and encourages audiences' participation and interaction in a shared culture. The width of the wallpaper determines the pattern's scale, and Lin uses this to explain the historical process of wallpaper production. In 17th century England, wallpaper was beginning to be produced in rolls rather than single sheets, which allowed for larger patterns to be repeated. Lin's use of non-uniform and playful layering of Macule gives the impression of hand-printing, as each roll of wallpaper features a varying number of layers and intricacy. By incorporating both traditional craft techniques and modern technology, Lin highlights the concept of labour in the digital age.
