Ren Han and Daniel Kessner, composer-flutist-conductor in Los Angeles, created this collaborative work during their stay at Paradise AIR (Artist-In-Residence) in Matsudo, Japan, September 5-27, 2023. 

Ren Han, after visiting public baths in Matsudo, and hearing the early stages of Kessner’s composition, created his large cloud drawing “Cloud in the Imaginary Temple”, At the same time, he invited every passer-by to participate in the creation by pasting stickers on the works, which is also related to the tradition of East Asian paintings using gold foil on paper. This work is now a permanent installation in the bath area of his room at Paradise AIR. 

The clouds above constitute an uninterrupted daily performance of nature, sparking our imaginations. However, when clouds approach or envelop us, they are perceived as a threat or warning. Today, clouds symbolize the visualization of the virtual network world. Ren Han said, “This period of residency in a country prone to natural disasters was remarkably calm, yet the social networks from the clouds brought a lot of sounds of war and environmental pollution. The clouds outside the window began to evoke visions of an apocalyptic sky—a presence simultaneously enchanting, transcendent, and threatening.”