Artists as part of public intellectuals, many of us are trapped in the reality of the maze of knowledge—overwhelmed by academic books, theories, definitions, “-ism” movements, and politics, we are losing ourselves to privilege and anxiety, distracting us from the pure pursuit of wisdom. We tend to equate knowledge with wisdom and assume that the more knowledge we gain, the wiser we become, yet knowledge does not equate wisdom—these phenomena reflect a common dilemma within the art world. This misunderstanding traps us in cycles of mental and status anxiety, hinders intellectuals to re-examine their roles in society, and leaves us lost—chasing the wrong paths in the maze, status-seeking, and public recognition. We are nearing the singularity where wisdom may be lost, becoming the other form of anti-intellectualism.
Wisiledge (Wise-i-knowledge), is a concept that I propose to explore the space between art, theology, and philosophy. It is also a spiritual way of thinking—a process or theory that combines (the use of-) knowledge and (be awe of-) wisdom. We, intellectuals, can be the way and the bridge between the functions of knowledge toward the idea of wisiledge. Through re-awaken and re-embrace the spirit of absolute wisdom, and the search for intangible intelligence—to enter the harmonies of wisiledge.
In The Wisiledge, I work across installation, writings, performances and videos, also across sectors in the form of exhibitions, publications, and conversations. I am eager to explore how we become trapped in the maze of knowledge; how books, academic terms, politics confined to the ivory tower prevent us from seeing our true selves—stance before understanding.
After two years of research and creative development, the first exhibition of the project In artists, status anxiety opened at the Hong Kong independent art space back in 2024. The exhibition included the first publication “I mentioned during a fine art major interview that I was reading books by ancient Greek poets and I got the offer. At that moment, I felt disgusting.”—features three articles that expose the mental and status anxiety overwhelming the art world. The project has been featured in various group exhibitions and events.
In 2025, the project was reformed under the title The Wisiledge. By advocating the concept of Wisiliedge (Wise-i-knowledge), the deeper approach focuses on reflecting on and exploring the essence of wisdom and the role of artists as public intellectuals in the contemporary world. In the forthcoming work titled The Wisiledge Primacy 智識至上論—a mid-length manifesto (/declaration) that presents the five tenets of the concept of Wisiledge, to raise my questions and beliefs in the topics.
The Wisiledge (formerly titled ‘In artists, status anxiety’) 是我於2022年開始的長期研究項目，項目著重於 「知識分子」（無論是被稱還是自稱）。我透過藝術或其他形式產出討論哲學和神學，反思知識體系內的知識和地位焦慮。現代社會，知識已成為一種社會資本和身份象徵，我們為頭銜感到優越又焦慮，而非純粹的智慧追求。藝術家，常被視為知識份子，渴望被大眾仰望和認可，卻逐漸遠離真正的「智慧」——「知識」並不等於「智慧」。以上現象是知識體系中的普遍困境，In us, status anxiety 通過反問知識份子，重新思考知識份子當下的社會功能、在知識產業中的角色，及個人心理矛盾。
現今，焦慮正在掩蓋知識份子在社會中的目標認同，我們逐漸不再追尋智慧，或為知識傳遞而努力。學者Daniel Markovits認為知識分子要學會識別導致自己心靈分裂的各種焦慮，從排外到競爭，而這個陷阱現正讓新世代（我們）陷入被知識產業及系统輕視的恐懼。
我對於探索知識及智慧的本質一直擁有濃厚興趣，這也是我藝術實踐的核心。我的作品經常圍繞學術體系、知識結構與藝術家身份之間的張力展開討論。我相信智慧是無形但確實存在的，並非是抽象的概念。知識和智慧各有其獨特的特質，知識並不等於智慧，也不一定能轉化為真正的智慧。當知識和智慧結合並協調到有效理解和應用的層次時，才會產生真正的「智慧」。我希望保持及專注於針對藝術、哲學及神學的學習，創作及以自身在當中的經歷，連結更多的人。