The serpent has long slithered through the cultural imagination, embodying a rich spectrum of meanings. From the ouroboros, the snake that swallows its tail in an eternal cycle of renewal, to the wise yet subversive figure in Chinese mythology, the serpent transcends cultural, temporal, and disciplinary boundaries. As both a revered and reviled creature, it offers a potent metaphor for our present moment of transformation, ambiguity, and possibility.
In Chinese tradition, the snake — linked to the Year of the Snake — symbolizes intuition, grace, and cycles of change. It invites reflection on the fluidity of identity, the intricate webs of interdependence, and the paradoxical nature of wisdom that emerges from uncertainty. Similarly, Daoist thought evokes the serpent’s silent, flowing movements as an emblem of harmony with the Dao, the universal path of becoming.
In Western culture, the serpent’s duality has been equally pronounced. It is the cunning tempter in the Garden of Eden, yet also the healer entwined around Asclepius’ staff. It speaks of danger and promise, betrayal and knowledge, sin and salvation. For Michel Serres, the figure of the parasite — not unlike the serpent — destabilizes systems, forcing growth through disruption. This duality echoes the unstable yet fertile ground upon which contemporary society stands.
In the realm of philosophy and science, Karen Barad’s work on entanglement finds resonance in the serpent’s interconnected nature.
Barad’s ideas of intra-action—where entities emerge not as isolated beings but through their relationships—align with the serpent’s ecological and symbolic significance. Carlo Rovelli’s theories of time as relational and looping (Quantum Loop) recall the ouroboros, where beginnings and endings are indistinguishable, embodying the serpentine form of existence itself.
The Serpent also invites engagement with technology and posthumanist thought. Yuk Hui’s explorations of technodiversity mirror the serpent’s adaptability and multiplicity, urging us to reconsider our relationship with technological systems and the futures they shape. The snake becomes a figure of subversion, weaving between nature and the digital, embodying the hybrid realities we inhabit.This concept invites artists, thinkers, and audiences to encounter the serpent as a symbol of tension and possibility. Its coiled form evokes both the fragility and resilience of contemporary existence, challenging us to face cycles of collapse and renewal. As the serpent sheds its skin, it reminds us of the power in transformation—a force that dissolves boundaries, reshapes identities, and reveals new modes of being. By embracing the serpent’s intricate duality, the exhibition seeks to illuminate the profound interplay of destruction and creation shaping our present and future. The Serpent is: Poised, Venomous, Healing, Circular, Transformative, Subversive, Mystical, Coiled, Fluid, Intuitive, Paradoxical, Interwoven, Adaptive, Elusive, Regenerative, Silent, Cunning, Hypnotic, Resilien, Boundless…