An exhibition titled "Made in Illusion" was held in Beijing, trying to make visitors rethink the materials and functions of everyday products. It's a redefinition of substances, materials and scenes of everyday life, a re-exploration of human condition and social ecology in the digital era, and also a re-establishment of people's attitude towards new aesthetic consumerism.

Nearly 30 artists from around the world are gathering in Beijing for this exhibition, with the intention of deconstructing the interrelation between manufacturing and human sentiment, as well as social situations. "The theme of the exhibition is 'Made in Illusion', with a question mark actually,”  said curator Liu Liya. 

"We invite the viewers to think about anything that could be related to the manufacturing process, including the consumer culture, recycling, the complicated relationship between human and advanced technology, as well as the exploration of the nature of some untouchable material of substances."

Through various art forms like installations, sculptures, paintings and new media, artists use new narration of substance and material to reconstruct the ordinary field of living and ecosystem. They further discuss social issues regarding consumer culture and sustainable development. Reuse and recycling are always important derivatives of manufacturing. 

This art piece above is made of kraft paper rolls by Korean-born artist Jae Ko. The paper's folds, pleats and gaps suggest a topography of rolling hills, blowing winds, ocean tides and arctic glaciers. They call for a return to nature, which is touched by human hand yet unaffected by it.

Other artists have tried new approaches for this exhibition, like the installation "Black's Three Parables." It represents the largest scale of work Chinese artist Liu Ya has done. Spending four days with his team on the piece, Liu said the simple color and scenes can trigger great imagination. "I wanted to create an installation about the color of black and chose the two substances of birds and stones. I'd like the viewers to have their own interpretation of the piece. Many of them think it's a cool installation, and some even see it as a reflection of the plague. I like their perspectives."

The exhibition runs through October 7 at Beijing Times Art Museum.