Reflections on 'Instant In-between: Carousel

Text｜Daniel CHEN

"Why does the sun persist in shining? Why do the birds continue their song? Are they unaware, the world has already come to an end?"── The End of The World

 Several vibrant carousels, adorned in myriad colors, rotate in place, their melodies echoing through the air. Above, there is no one to be seen. One after another, they continue turning, as if forming an endless, perpetual flow, swirling in a corridor shaped like the Chinese character "ㄇ." Before this corridor, there looms the silhouette of a colossal carousel, projecting and differentiating into various shapes – animals, vehicles – as if emanating from this colossal "prototype."

We commonly perceive time as a continuous, linear progression, advancing relentlessly with each passing second, day, and night, as our lives unfold, grow, and flourish. However, is it truly so? Does the seemingly compact, abundant, and diverse existence we lead merely constitute a repetition of similar events, arranged and combined differently? Much like carousels spinning in place.

Jung asserted that "reality is a metaphor." At times, when the inner narrative rooted in our hearts remains unremoved, we continually undergo different forms of events, albeit with structurally similar patterns. For instance, when one's core fear revolves around "the fear of loss," in youth, they may experience the fear of losing friendships or love. In middle age, this fear may transform into apprehension about losing wealth and fame. Ultimately, in old age, it culminates in the dread of losing life itself. Consequently, an entire lifetime is spent attempting to control and resist, even if, at first glance, these may seem like entirely different challenges.

Could the state of reality be a projection from our internal conditions? Similar to a vast prototype, casting and fracturing into various shapes of carousels, yet everything remains stagnant, without moving forward a single step.

Even though, on the surface, it appears as if we are continually progressing.

Sometimes, I ponder whether this is the so-called "inescapable fate." Has some pattern or plot already been set, and we can only repeatedly undergo it, with no means of resistance? In Haruki Murakami's "Kafka on the Shore," there's a passage that resonates with this:

"I used to think that it was something I’d chosen myself, but after having been led by the nose by something I don’t know, just like someone who’s been decoyed into a snare by a bunch of lures, I’ve realized that it was all predetermined from the very beginning. It’s like I’m acting out someone else’s scenario."

A similar theme appears in Gen Urobuchi's work, "Puella Magi Madoka Magica." Homura, a magical girl deeply in love with the protagonist Madoka, continuously rewinds time to prevent Madoka from becoming a magical girl and venturing down an irreversible path. However, an irresistible force of fate seems to guide all developments, and Madoka is destined to become a magical girl. In the end, although it seems the destinies of all magical girls have been altered, a new malevolent force emerges, and the battles persist in a different form.

How can we break free from the carousel-like cyclic structure of destiny and truly take a step forward on the path of life? This is one of the questions I continually contemplate.

Note: This series of reflections on "Instant In-Between" is based on the exhibition by Zhang Chun-Yi at Crane Gallery, which consists of four parts: "Carousel Waltz," "Azure Sky," "Fairy Lake," and the conclusion. Relevant links are provided below.