May 04, 1996 — June 08, 1996 76 Grand Street, New York Daily Incantations was a sculptural installation by Chen Zhen inspired by the artist's personal experience in Shanghai during the period of the Cultural Revolution. The gallery space was filled with one hundred and one nightstools (Chinese chamber pots) that the artist and his friends purchased on the streets of Shanghai. The nightstools were suspended like balls from a stadium-like structure reminiscent of an ancient Chinese instrument. In the center of the structure was a large globe completely covered with old radios, televisions, telephones, and other debris of electronic communication. Speakers installed inside each of the nightstools played the sound of the ritual cleaning of the stools that Chinese women traditionally perform everyday. Zhen's work is characterized by the juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary elements and aspects of Chinese and Western culture. He explores cultural identity in the context of the global consumer society. Select a project Dancing Body Drumming Mind