-011 Davina Hsu
If there is one thing that you can change in a previous project of yours, what would it be?
Image Courtesy of Wassaic Project.
I don’t usually dwell on what could have been done differently. Each exhibition unfolds within its own
constellation of constraints—time, space, budget, technical resources, human dynamics. No two are the
same. I approach each with full intention, knowing that what manifests is shaped by what's available. I
trust that everyone involved brings their best effort to the table.
That said, I often enter a project with more than one vision in motion—multiple threads of thought,
parallel realities. What ultimately takes form is only one possible outcome. The rest live on as unrealized
potentials.
For instance, in my current solo exhibition Soft Energy at ArtBridge Projects, I had the opportunity to
present my work against a darker background—a deep, vibrant indigo. This particular shade holds a
contemplative frequency. It dissolves the boundary between artwork and wall, inviting the viewer into a
slower, more immersive encounter.
The fiber-based sculptural paintings are intentionally hung slightly above eye level—not to distance, but
to evoke connection to realms beyond the immediate. Like stepping into a temple, the upward gaze
becomes part of the ritual.
Secondary elements are at play—UV lighting washes certain zones, inspired by a transcendental
experience I once had—seeing the energetic dimension overlaying our physical world. The lighting isn’t
just illumination; it’s an activation. I wanted the show to shift between day and night, each revealing a
different kind of presence, yet equally immersive.
Still, some aspects remain in the realm of “what could have been.” I envisioned covering the floor with
indigo-colored sand—soft underfoot, grounding the space within the same chromatic field. Impermanent
drawings—symbols traced in sand—would invite quiet participation. Hidden fluorescent crystals would
offer subtle discoveries. I also imagined a more refined UV lighting system, mounted above and timed
to shift without manual input, creating a more autonomous and atmospheric cycle.
If the space had been bigger, I would have hung certain works lower. Each piece is a kind of blessing,
and their positioning holds energetic significance, so the viewer could encounter them at the level I feel
they hold energetically.
Even so, I’m content with what came through. Every element left unrealized becomes material for the
next project. Each exhibition space is a playground to fertilize the next possibility or explore different
points of view—ultimately open to interpretation.
Installation view, Davina Hsu, Soft Energy. ArtBridge Projects.
Installation view, Davina Hsu, Soft Energy. ArtBridge Projects.
Installation view, Davina Hsu, Soft Energy. ArtBridge Projects.
Opening reception, Davina Hsu, Soft Energy. ArtBridge Projects.
Opening reception, Davina Hsu, Soft Energy. ArtBridge Projects.
About Davina Hsu:
Davina Hsu is a Taiwanese multidisciplinary artist and energy intuitive based in New York. She received a BFA from Parsons School of Design in 2009 and began her practice as a painter, examining her sensitivity and the human condition. After a profound spiritual awakening in 2018, the transformative experience expanded her awareness and reshaped her creative practice. Hsu earned an MFA in 2023 at the School of Visual Arts, where she integrated her transpersonal inquiry to develop a multidisciplinary practice, working across fiber art, painting, interactive art, public art, and social practice. Through an investigation of color, frequency, energy, spirituality, and human relational dynamics, she developed spiritually oriented works such as talisman fiber work, oracle cards, and an energy-reading practice, emphasizing the importance of social, emotional, and spiritual wellness while offering a new perspective on the multidimensional aspects of existence.
Hsu has exhibited her work internationally and nationally, including solo and group exhibitions in the US and Taiwan. Her work has been included in Untitled Art Fair (Miami Beach, FL), The Other Art Fair (Brooklyn, NY), Anderson Art Fair & Autumn Auction (Taipei, Taiwan), ELM Foundation (Brooklyn, NY), Wassaic Project | Maxon Mills (Wassaic, NY), Snow Gallery NYC (New York, NY), Gallery MC (New York, NY), SVA Galleries (New York, NY), Accent Temple (New York, NY), Illuminated Metropolis Gallery (New York, NY), Sheila Johnson Design Center (New York, NY), Soka Art Center (Taipei & Tainan, Taiwan). and Art Bridge x the Battery Park City Authority (New York, NY). Her exhibitions have been reviewed in Hyperallergic (US), the SVA ContinuEd Newsletter (US), Marie Claire (Taiwan), Harper’s Bazaar (Taiwan), CANS Asian Contemporary Art (Taiwan), ART INVESTMENT (Taiwan), Art Collection + Design (Taiwan), and ARTITUDE Magazine (Taiwan). She currently lives and works in Brooklyn.
www.davinahsu.com
All images courtesy of Davina Hsu