Intertwined Power, Wu Jian'an, laser paper-cut, collage, 2015
Deeply inspired by Chinese tradition, the artist applies one of the most traditional Chinese art forms - paper cut, to present mythical figures from one of China's most historic books -The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing), which is the course and origin of the ancient Chinese mythology, existing since the 4th Century BC. The artist uses "Xing Tian", a mythical figure from the books as the main element to create this collage consisting of more than 400 pieces of colorful laser paper-cuts. Originally, "Xing Tian" fought against the Supreme Divinity, not giving up even after he was decapitated. In the eyes of the artist, "Xing Tian" symbolizes traditional Chinese culture, which has been decapitated by the modern Western culture. The chopped head represents the lost Chinese culture and spirit. "Xing Tian", a fighter with indomitable spirit maintaining the will the resist to the very end, stands in sharp contract with the cultural changes in today's China.
Typhoon, Han Jianyu, 50 x 60cm, Acrylic and oil on linen, 2016
The artist grew up in the coastal area of China, witnessing the devastating fury of the typhoon. Before the arrival of typhoon, the sharp surge in temperature and stifling humidity usually made him suffocate and nauseous. The work "Typhoon" expresses the artist's psychological condition. Although typhoon brings damage and anxiety, the artist is interested in the generative or positive power of the natural phenomena. The complexity between the good and evil behind typhoon is full of all kinds of possibilities.
