Humans generalise for two main reasons: to organise information efficiently and to enable inductive inferences for decision making. While some generalisations can be useful, others can distort reality and contribute to harmful stereotyping.
Each double-walled porcelain sculpture confronts the viewer with visualised statistics for a generalisation that is expressed without a quantifier. From a distance, only the outer form — the impression of 100% prevalence — is visible. When the viewer approaches the lamp, a motion detector turns on the lamp and the inner volume — the actual prevalence — is revealed through the translucent porcelain. Without physically closing the distance, the viewer is left in the dark.
Every sculpture in the series looks the same from the outside but have drastically different inner volumes, prompting the viewer to question why the generalisations all come across as true despite having drastically different prevalences.
Shannon Yeung is an artist and designer interested in asking questions through whimsical forms. She will be graduating with a dual degree in Art&Design and Philosophy.
