距離上一次在空白空間的個展已逾三年，何翔宇原本有條不紊的展覽準備過程被一場突如其來的全球疫情中斷。如同大多數(shù)人一樣，何翔宇的活動范圍極度限縮，日程表上所有安排也幾被清零。藝術(shù)家只得困頓在他柏林的家與工作室的兩點與一線當中。而現(xiàn)實的境況遠比樂觀的估計來得更為深刻和漫長，一切陷入令人焦灼的滯留和停擺中。正是在這樣的時刻，我們或許才意識到，藝術(shù)并不是一場藝術(shù)家獨自完成的閉門造車。貨車司機、畫材店員、雕塑廠工人、機構(gòu)行政人員、設(shè)計師、藝術(shù)家、寫作者、策展人……人們在跨越時空的通訊軟件中、抑或相隔1.5m的距離間小心翼翼地關(guān)切和問候。正是在這樣的時刻，我們也才意識到，藝術(shù)，是我們不斷溝通、彼此相連、重新相聚的理由。

在藝術(shù)家與畫廊同仁半年來跨越7個時區(qū)的密切溝通中，展覽方案曾幾易其稿，甚至一度由于現(xiàn)實的限制而有取消的可能。這場名為“硬腭”的展覽將是何翔宇與空白空間合作9年來的第6回個展，將展出藝術(shù)家實踐長達8年并持續(xù)至今的“口腔計劃”中的最新實踐，以及多件全新雕塑及影像作品。9月24日，我們期待著，在藝術(shù)家展覽現(xiàn)場同你們的再次相遇。

It has been more than three years since He Xiangyu's last solo exhibition at White Space Beijing, whose methodic preparation process has been interrupted by the unexpected global pandemic. And like most people, the scope of He Xiangyu's activity was reduced to the basics, and his schedule was suddenly cleared. The artist was stuck between his home in Berlin and his studio. It turned out that the actual situation has been more profound and prolonged than the initial optimistic prediction. Everything seemed to have fallen in the anxious halt and uncertainty. In such a moment, perhaps we come to realize that artistic practice is not a production of an artist in isolation. The truck driver, the staff at the supply shop, workers at the sculpture manufacturer, the team of art institutions, designers, artists, writers, and curators express their gentle concerns and regards through messaging apps across time zones and places or separated by 1.5 meters. In such a moment, we come to realize that art is the reason for our ongoing communication, connections, and coming together.

Over the half-year across seven time zones, the communication between the artist and the gallery underwent rounds of discussions regarding the exhibition proposal and even cancellation due to Force Majeure. Hard Palate will be He Xiangyu's sixth solo exhibition at White Space Beijing over the last nine years of collaboration, presenting the artist's latest works from his ongoing Palate Project of eight years, as well as new sculpture and video pieces. On September 24th, we look forward to welcoming you with the works of the artist.