The Peaceful Elephant

“The Peaceful Elephant” I Do Artist

AntiStatics Architecture and Yue Min Jun

The I Do artist store in Wuhan, China blends uniquely spatial and sculptural elements to create a highly expressive, embracing and inspiring experience. The feature work of the collaboration between AntiStatics Architecture and renowned artist Yue Min Jun is specifically “the peaceful elephant,” symbolic within Chinese and Asian culture as a representation of “a peaceful world and mature grain in society.”

The Peaceful ElephantWithin the space a smooth and fluid cave-like space is carved out of the interiors wrapping the visitors in a continuously fluid environment and drawing people through the floor plan.

The detailing of the displays embedded within the walls and freestanding throughout the space suggest massive geologic formations emerging from the erosive spatial constructs of the interior. As a whole the geometries present a diverse yet synergistic unity of form.

The conceptual drivers behind this project are linked to the manifestation of forms expressive of natural origin and organic determination.

The dynamism of fluid medias and particle systems are simulated and installed throughout the space, not only to expressing the performance of liquids but always as an interaction between two foci, emphasizing the emergent condition and interdependence between individuals.

Embracing the concept of phusiphilia, or the inherent attraction towards natural forms and aesthetics, the waves and vibrations populate the white surface of the walls, modulated by light running along the perimeter enhancing the depth and form creating an architecture expressive of fluidity and contributing to the excitement and stimulation of the user.

The massive 9m steel sculpture of the life size elephant features two of Yue Min Jun’s signature figures intimately crouching on each other’s shoulders and rising from the first floor space of the space and emerging on the second floor.

Symbolically, the elephant and figures represent the wisdom, strength and unity as a projection of the relationships which emerge from those coming into the store.

In execution the sculpture innovates and entirely new methodology for the creation of space and form. Utilizing large scale wax 3d printing and investment casting, the process creates a sparse yet highly structural lattice inspired simultaneously by cellular biology and the atomic structures of the diamond.

The unified formation of both symbolical elements and cutting edge fabrication technologies suggests a novel way forward for both architecture and the arts, seeking to unify elements from all fields rather than segregation of procedures and mentalities.

The interior cave space is light and airy with fluid ribbons of robotically milled form work continuously wrapping the space, and further enveloping the visitors within and warm embrace.

Reminiscent of the erosion of the earth through natural processed formations are organic in their fluidity and precise in their definition, a gentle reference to the reconstitution of naturally formed elements into precisely manufactured objects.

The inverse relationship can be found in the custom designed and fabricated displays and furniture, finding formal inspiration within the geometric formations while using hand crafted processes for their construction.

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