Ke Qin: When We Were Birds

From 5 to 9 January 2026, visual artist Ke Qin’s latest moving image series The Unbalanced Everyday, debuted at 67 York Street Gallery, London, as the centrepiece of her solo exhibition — When We Were Birds.

Installation view of When We Were Birds, 67 York Street Gallery, 2026. Courtesy of the artist.

When We Were Birds uses the bird as a metaphor to explore the psychological changes and identity displacement experienced by individuals in rapidly changing societies and environments. Her main artwork series, The Unbalanced Everyday, reveals the underlying precariousness within the lived experiences of climate migrants. By bringing these marginalised groups back into the public eye, Ke Qin compels viewers to reflect on the obscured reality behind the conventional narrative.

Installation view of When We Were Birds, 67 York Street Gallery, 2026. Courtesy of the artist.

Ke Qin’s practice explores the intricate interplay between perception, consciousness, and reality, employing fragmented and non-linear narrative structures through digital media. Her works delve into the profound internal shifts of individuals across diverse social backgrounds, heightening these shifts through spatial displacement, time delay, and perceptual imbalance to reflect the hidden tensions and alienation inherent in today’s society.

Installation view of When We Were Birds, 67 York Street Gallery, 2026. Courtesy of the artist.

In The Unbalanced Everyday, Qin envisions a post-dwelling age defined by a complete loss of control. These four moving images chronicle the evolution of the living environment from latent vulnerability to acute instability, and ultimately to gradual decline. As the narrative progresses, the audience experiences the continuous erosion of daily order, as well as the accumulated unease and imbalance of the protagonist — or us — amidst environmental changes. As their external structures continue to be reshaped and their sense of belonging gets lost, the character’s spiritual world continues to transition, and life becomes a reflection and magnifying glass of the psychological state.

Installation view of When We Were Birds, 67 York Street Gallery, 2026. Courtesy of the artist.

The exhibition depicts a state of displacement accelerated by changes in climate, policy, and social structures. Through these four moving images, viewers witness the protagonist survive and find their footing — a journey that is deeply human, primal, and personal, but also collective in its resonance.