It's all about pausing, imagining and contemplating.

This immersive experience comes from dedicated goldfish enthusiast Trevor Yeung's acclaimed installation, now relocated to Hong Kong. Originally seen by over 200,000 visitors at the Venice Biennale, the reconfigured exhibition titled “Courtyard of Detachments” opens at M+ on Saturday, June 14.

Curator Olivia Chow (left); Artist Trevor Yeung(right) by何兆南

Memories of wandering Goldfish Street seems embedded in every Hongkonger’s DNA – where 30 HKD could form an exclusive bond with that one chosen goldfish. Stepping into Trevor’s goldfish-shop-inspired installation, viewers may confront familiarity with a weird feeling: while dusky pink lamps and blue reflective tanks replicate street-market aesthetics, the tanks contain neither shimmering creatures nor life-sustaining water. Only the air pumps from the background sound persist, generating liquid-like auditory illusions that prompt visitors to pause and rethink about the reason behind the visible absence.

Just like the distorted mirrors that viewers pass through entering the exhibition space, the entire installation cultivates a surreal ambiance. The fish tanks once brimming with water during its Venice Biennale presentation now stand completely drained. Only cracked water stains, empty hideouts and discarded fake aquatic plants remain. These details invite viewers to retrieve traces of vanished life, prompting contemplation on the fragile essence of “attachment” and “detachment” in relationships.

Empty tanks and distorted mirrors by梁譽聰

Trevor described purchasing pet fish as “instant love” – an artificial constructed, inexpensive yet emotionally fulfilling relationship. Also, the aquarium ecosystem is human-made: keepers must maintain the operation of fish tanks to ensure goldfish’s survival, while the breakdown of any minor variable could lead to the death. This serves as a metaphor for the fragile interpersonal relationships and complex social dependency in urban life.

Continue walking inside, viewers are greeted by a bright and high-ceilinged space where the installation “Rolling Gold Fountain” near the rear window commands attention. This work reimagines the traditional Chinese Feng Shui ball: the translucent citrine sphere perpetually rotates within flowing water, embodying the “wealth rolling in”(財源滾滾 cáiyuán gǔngǔn), philosophy cherished by Chinese merchants.

Rolling Gold Fountain by Ela Bialkowska, OKNO studio

Yet the artist deliberately exposes the mechanical drive system – typically concealed beneath, within a glass container. This calculated revelation deconstructs traditional Feng Shui beliefs and underscores the human-constructed nature of societal consensus. What is sarcastic is that the so-called “citrine” is actually a skillful replica from common quartz. This material substitution exposes the dislocation between tangible reality and cultural belief, provoking cognitive dissonance that challenges viewers’ assumptions.

Life, time and common sense have collapsed in Trevor’s art space. Amidst hollow tanks and counterfeit crystals, visitors slip from reality's grasp to contemplate the weight of human bonds in the emptiness.

EVENT DETAILS

Date 14 June – 12 October 2025

Time

10am to 6pm, Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday to Sunday; 10am to 10pm, Friday; Closed on Monday

Venue

Cissy Pui-Lai Pao and Shinichiro Watari Galleries, M+, West Kowloon Cultural District

Cover Photo: Ela Bialkowska, OKNO studio

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