Zadie Xa: Long ago when tigers smoked
The Box, Plymouth

When: 02 April 2022 to 05 June 2022
Where: The Box, Tavistock Place, Plymouth PL4 8AX
Time: 10am - 5pm
Cost: Free
Suitable for: Any age

Open Tuesdays to Sundays and Bank Holidays from 10am-5pm

See textile paintings and sculptures by Canadian artist Zadie Xa, inspired by historic objects from The Box's collections.

‘Long ago when tigers smoked’ is a solo exhibition by Canadian artist Zadie Xa. Xa has explored The Box’s permanent collections and crafted her project around two selected objects, which will also be on display: an 1800s tiger puppet from Myanmar and a bamboo pipe from Korea that was acquired in 1910.

Both objects are connected by Korean folk tales involving tigers smoking on long pipes, which simultaneously indicates something that may have happened a long time ago, but also invokes an idea of when everyone was equal, even humans and animals.

This dialogue with The Box’s historical collections will further expand on Xa’s interest and exploration of the trickster archetype and its manifestation within animals as they appear in mythology, and folklore.The exhibition includes new textile paintings and sculptures made in collaboration with artist Benito Mayor Vallejo.

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