MING MUR-RAY: CYM55296: Ming Mur-Ray

Joseph Clayes III Gallery

MING MUR-RAY

CYM55296: Ming Mur-Ray

September 23–November 12, 1994

The Athenaeum presented new work by Hong Kong-born artist Ming Mur-Ray in conjunction with inSITE94, the binational exhibition of installation and site-specific art. Mur-Ray’s installation, CYM55296, consisted of 72 panels, each one inscribed with 768 invented characters. The tablets, reminiscent of ancient hieroglyphics engraved on tablets, were placed on narrow shelves of freestanding wood units that diagonally bisected the gallery. Mu-Ray’s unique “alphabet” of 55,296 characters addressed the issue of censorship. The installation also included a new work entitled Poison Shelf, with two sets of three horizontal shelves, each shelf containing three volumes wrapped in identical brown dust covers with the words “SEE NO EVIL,” “HEAR NO EVIL,” and “SPEAK NO EVIL.”