The blending of reality and fiction is a familiar theme in art. From Surrealism, which taps into dreams and the unconscious, to sci-fi-inspired works grounded in scientific logic, and post-truth practices responding to the age of misinformation, numerous contemporary artworks and exhibitions explore the coexistence of reality and illusion, fact and fantasy. The exhibition Floating World: Bed, Bath, Bus at Sehwa Museum of Art follows in the lineage of Surrealism, focusing more intently on the interplay between the fantastical and the real. As its subtitle suggests, the show delves into moments of unreality that emerge during everyday routines—falling asleep, washing, commuting—where strange sensations and thoughts quietly surface. Unlike recent exhibitions that foreground the virtuality of digital media or speculative fiction, Floating World feels refreshing in its return to a more fundamental sense of “fantasy” as it intersects with ordinary life. Rather than being bound to a single theme or medium, the exhibition, as noted in its curatorial statement, presents a wide-ranging selection of works under the broader notion of “a mixture of the real and the unreal.”
July 1, 2025
