Combining literary and historical reference with autobiographical experiences, Cole Lu's practice builds new mythologies that carry echoes of trauma, transformation and regeneration. Lu questions the theistic concept of creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothingness), proposing a more complicated interspersal of time and human existence. Presented as a compilation of gestures or a collection of brief anecdotes, Lu's work unfolds serially, following invented characters through a parallel world of his creation. Each exhibition or body of work reveals another element, broadening his narrative to incorporate new sites and characters. He (re)invents, (re)names, and (re)writes his subjects, composing each work with an elaborate fragmented title – a literary device that further subverts conventional linear narratives and amplifies his poetic vision.

Cole Lu 呂咅彧

The first time someone sent him to the drawing room — tick tock, tick tock — he fell in love with this back-and-forth movement. Later, he learned it was called the withdrawing room; tongue gives the mind a thunder strike, his pulse racing as horses galloping home. (Withdrawing room)

Cole Lu 呂咅彧

The first time someone sent him to the drawing room — tick tock, tick tock — he fell in love with this back-and-forth movement. Later, he learned it was called the withdrawing room; tongue gives the mind a thunder strike, his pulse racing as horses galloping home. (Withdrawing room), 2024