If my art has nothing to do with people’s pain and sorrow, what is ‘art’ for? (Ai Weiwei)
This is the latest in a series of acrylic paintings that I have been doing based on a trip to China. China was amazing. I was struck, however, by the dichotomy between the China they want you to see and what you experience on your own. We visited the archaeological site in Xian where they have uncovered hundreds of terracotta warriors, each with a different face. The emperor wanted to have his army buried with him to protect him in the afterlife. The soldiers, understandably, were not keen on this as they were to be buried alive. Instead, an army of terracotta warriors were created, with a series of standard torsos and poses but with individual, unique heads. an ingenious compromise! While visiting Tiananmen Square in Beijing, there were groups of young military marching with a purpose throughout the square. With China’s reputation of human rights abuse and the history of protest in the square, I can understand this intimidation but can not condone it. The red stripe in my painting serves as a visual barrier between a glorious history and a somewhat inglorious present.
This is the latest in a series of acrylic paintings that I have been doing based on a trip to China. China was amazing. I was struck, however, by the dichotomy between the China they want you to see and what you experience on your own. We visited the archaeological site in Xian where they have uncovered hundreds of terracotta warriors, each with a different face. The emperor wanted to have his army buried with him to protect him in the afterlife. The soldiers, understandably, were not keen on this as they were to be buried alive. Instead, an army of terracotta warriors were created, with a series of standard torsos and poses but with individual, unique heads. an ingenious compromise! While visiting Tiananmen Square in Beijing, there were groups of young military marching with a purpose throughout the square. With China’s reputation of human rights abuse and the history of protest in the square, I can understand this intimidation but can not condone it. The red stripe in my painting serves as a visual barrier between a glorious history and a somewhat inglorious present.
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| China Series - Military Presence (24” x 24”) |
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