"Future World".
future world
Artist:Yao Dawu.
artist: yao dawu
Curator:Xia Kejun.
curator：xia kejun
Organizers:Bridge Art Space.
organizer：art bridge gallery
Opening:March 2, 2024 at 3:00 p.m
opening：mar.2,2024 at 3:00 p.m
Exhibition Hours:2024.03.02 - 2024.03.31.
exhibition date:mar.2,2024 — mar.31,2024
Exhibition Venue:D09-1 Bridge Art Space, 798 Art District, Beijing.
venue: d09-1,798 art zone,beijing,art bridge gallery
**Support:Art China in the art hi art art centimeter Tencent News Today's headlines.
media：art.china.cn /zaiart /hiart space /artcm /qq.com /toutiao.com
Yao Dawu's Painting Text: A Surreal Assemblage of the Future World
The so-called brush and ink is in the times, because ink art must combine two dimensions: on the one hand, it is a historical pictorial record that rewrites an individual's life, a life history in which an individual discovers his inner mental journey, and even a certain kind of emotion and induction with traces of memories of his past life; On the other hand, in the face of the spiritual crisis of the times, and even science and technology, new forms of reflection and artistic language are given, and only art that faces the dilemma of life and technological challenges can be truly expressed. The former is related to the artist's personal cultivation and historical thickness, while the latter is related to the artist's life conscience and artistic imagination. Without the former, ink lacks the sense of depth of space, and without the latter, ink lacks the absorption power of time; A mature artist will inevitably form an individualized construction of time and space.
Future
ink on paper ink on **
200x200cm 2024.
Some of Mr. Yao Dawu's representative works in recent years, especially the masterpiece "The Statue of the Great Buddha of Bamiyan", which we created in 2018 by following the route of Buddhism to China, looking for the context and clues of early Buddhism, completely abandon all existing habitual techniques, completely face the historical traces that transcend life, open our hearts and tell the traces of individual hearts, so that historical images and individual perceptions of different eras can be juxtaposed across time and space, sketching and painting, ink and oil, improvisation and collage, various creative methods. With an incredible yet inherently induced combination, ink painting thoroughly absorbs the classic images of art history and the traces of life in the world.
The greatest Buddha statue
ink on paper ink on **
370x300cm 2018.
The latest work "Confused Time-Traces", which mixes various images of modernity with the crisis state of life, and the mask image with the symbol of "stork" as the symbol stares at the world in reverse, putting the desire of human nature, contemporary cutting-edge technology, physical and mathematical formulas, natural gardens, indoor daily space, bright clowns and Musk's balloons, with time and space travel and unbridled imagination, bright colors and wonderful lines, to construct a surreal future world, a children's paradise-style future world. It expresses the desire for "revitalization" and "regeneration" of life after the epidemic, and gives ink art a completely new realm.
Confused Time-Traces
ink on paper ink on **
200x200cm 2024.
The two series of works in this exhibition allow us to see the depth of Mr. Dawu's unique picture construction logic and spiritual reflection, that is, painting is not only painting, but ink painting is to return to the textuality and historicity of the world, with a synthesis across time and space, combining visibility and readability internally, moving towards reflective and world-sensitive, life-mask and ironic iconography, and writing his own book of life and world, constructing historical painting texts and surreal world images. Mr. Yao Dawu's breakthrough and contribution to ink painting is the second birth of art.
Masks
ink on paper ink on **
144x734cm 2023.
It is precisely from the textuality of painting that Mr. Yao Dawu's paintings get rid of various existing modern ink and wash paradigms, because ancient Chinese ink art is not the creation of a single painting, but is originally a combination of "intertextuality", painting and calligraphy, images and poems, mounting and inscriptions, collection and intertextuality, and so on. Along with the simultaneous writing of individual life and ancient divine friendship and historical context. This also requires the artist to have the courage to break through the self or ego and enter the big text of history. In 2018, Dawu realized the long-brewing ambition of the individual, followed Xuanzang to Afghanistan, traced the spiritual journey of Master Xuanzang to seek Buddha in the Western Regions, traveled through the ancient country of Gumo, revisited the dual traces of nature and history, and rebuilt the life sense of individual and Buddha nature between the dryness of the desert and the moistening of the soul, forming a tenacious and broad new vision, the former faced the difficult living environment, and the latter was the illusion of resolving countless illusions of human nature, which also led to Dawu completely changing the concept and method of ink painting before. By collaging the images, the footprints of human beliefs, and various classic symbols are juxtaposed on a work in the form of iconography and image collection, as if the inner picture scroll of history and the formal sense of its scrolls are opened at the same time.
Digital Twin
ink and colour on paper **
200x200cm 2024.
Since then, the world is a book, and the traces of the heart are also a book, and painting is to "combine" the traces of life and the hidden traces of different histories, different scenes, different time and space, different cultures, Chinese characters and images, maps and mathematics, Buddha statues and spaceships, earth and sky, all of which are juxtaposed, so that painting becomes a book of the world, a book of life, and a book of the future.
The broad absorption and tenacious pace have reshaped the character of life and the style of painting, which also corresponds to the situation of our "mixed modernity" era. China's reform and opening up in the past 40 years has moved China from the traditional agricultural civilization to the urbanization and individualization of modernism, and entered the global network virtual era. Art has also lost its value.
Performance and Attempt—01
expression and experimentation—01
ink on paper ink on **
64.5x39cm 2023.
Ink art must activate its own absorption and textuality, from painting to text, with such openness and reawakening vitality, as well as the understanding of painting as textual and cosmopolitan, when Mr. Dawu faced the epidemic crisis of the past three years, he saw the other side of the world, that is, through the flying stork to hint at the pathological symptoms of life, to put on a mask on the life of these animals, as if human nature in the past three years has been forced to wear a mask, on the superposition of this life image, It symbolizes that life has lost its original face, we are all masked people, and we must imagine another kind of humanity. By superimposing these storks with different scenes, the artist reminds us of the Baroque Dutch painter Bosch's "Paradise on Earth", which is also an allegorical encyclopedic picture of the world, juxtaposing scenes from different states of life at the same time. Dawu's stork series paintings during the epidemic juxtapose many storks and human daily scenes, which seem to be abrupt, but in fact they are to convey the sense of symbiosis of the world, the inseparability of human life and natural life, and these homeless storks are the truth of life! Whether it is the juxtaposition of the stork and the child's innocent scene, or the peculiar juxtaposition of traditional flower and bird painting and figure painting, it is actually a textual expression of the previous painting.
Laughter *laughter
ink on paper ink on **
369x248cm 2023.
Once the artist directly confronts the hybridity of the world and the general crisis of life, the naturalness of the stork and the artificiality of the artificiality form a strong contrast, which opens up the depth of reflection and opens up to the future. This is the time and space that Ink He has ever dreamed of?
Bird Island Chronicle - 04".
notes from bird island—04
ink on paper ink on **
38.7x64.5cm in 2023.
In terms of artistic expression, the artist has not given up the subtlety of brush and ink and the expressiveness of lines, the touch of jade, the warmth and intensity of color, the essence of tradition has been retained in a reversed way, and has completely broken the restrictions of painting, returning to the innocence of children, and has the juxtaposition of the window of the era of science and technology, and especially the most valuable thing is that the surreal imagination of the combination of humor and irony comes from the incomparably strong sense of writing freedom in the inner life, which is a wonderful expression of the "second birth" of life!
Dali Chronicle
ink on paper ink on **
39x65cm 2019.
This makes us full of expectations for Mr. Yao Dawu's future paintings, such a comprehensive and expansive ink text, is bound to change the current pattern of ink painting, so that it has a contemporary historical and civilizational reflection, as well as the acceptance of future science and technology, when Dawu looks for the traces of Master Xuanzang, his heart has been open to the world and civilization, towards a certain transcendent dimension, its future prospects and free imagination, will be limitless!
(Wen Xia Kejun).
the painting text of yao dawu:
surreal combination of the future world
the so-called ink and brush must keep pace with the times, as ink painting must integrate two dimensions. on one hand, it involves rewriting the historical images and aspirations of individual lives—discovering the life history of inner journeys and even emotions with traces of past memories. on the other hand, facing the spiritual crisis of the era and even scientific and technological advancements, it imparts new reflective forms and artistic languages. only art confronting life's challenges and technological advancements truly expresses authenticity. the artist's individual cultivation and historical depth relate to the former, while the artist's moral conscience and artistic imagination relate to the latter. a mature artist inevitably forms a personalized construction of time and space.
in some recent representative works by mr. yao dawu, especially the monumental piece "bamiyan buddha sculpture chronicle," created in 2018 during his solitary journey along the buddhist route into china, we witness a departure from conventional techniques. he completely confronts the historical traces beyond life, opens his heart, and narrates individual sentiments. different historical images and individual insights from various eras are juxtaposed through sketching, painting, ink, oil, improvisation, and collage—a combination that is both astonishing and rich in internal resonance. ink painting thoroughly absorbs classical images from art history and global life experiences. his recent work, "confused time - traces," constructs a surreal future world with bright colors and vibrant lines, portraying a childlike playground. it expresses the desire for life's "revival" and "regeneration" after the pandemic, endowing ink art with an entirely new realm.
the two series of works in this exhibition allow us to see the unique logic of image construction and profound spiritual reflections by mr. yao dawu. that is, painting is not just painting; ink painting aims to return to the textuality and historicity of the world. it has a comprehensive nature across time and space, integrating visibility and readability, moving towards reflexivity and a sense of the world. the mask-like nature of life and the metaphorical imagery, writing one's own book of life and the world, constructing historical painting texts and surreal world images—yao dawu's breakthroughs and contributions to ink art declare a second birth of art.
starting from the textuality of painting, mr. yao dawu's art breaks free from various existing paradigms of modern ink art. this is because ancient chinese ink art was not about creating a single painting; it was inherently intertextual—combining painting with calligraphy, images with poetry, mounting with inscriptions, and collecting with intertextuality. chinese ink artworks can expand and grow, not limited to a single painting or constrained by a particular style. it requires artists to h**e the courage to break self-boundaries and enter the grand narrative of history. in 2018, dawu realized his long-nurtured aspiration, tr**eling to afghanistan to trace the journey of the master xuanzang seeking enlightenment in the western regions. crossing ancient lands, revisiting the dual traces of nature and history in the dryness of the desert and the moisture of the soul, he reconstructed the connection between individual and buddhahood, forming a resilient and broadened perspective. while the former faced harsh living conditions, the latter dissolved countless illusions of human nature. this led dawu to completely change his previous notions and methods of ink painting, collaging myriad images—human footprints of belief, various classical symbols—in a single artwork, seemingly simultaneously unfolding the intrinsic scroll of history.
from this point onward, the world is a book, and the heart is also a book. painting is about "combining" the different historical traces and hidden sentiments of life—different scenes, times, cultures, chinese characters and images, maps and mathematics, buddha statues and spaceships, earth and sky, all juxtaposed. therefore, painting becomes a book of the world, a book of life, and a book of the future.
the extensive absorption and resilient steps reshape the character of life and the style of painting, corresponding to the contemporary situation of our "mixed modernity." china's reform and opening up over the past 40 years h**e shifted the country from a traditional agricultural civilization to modern urbanization and individualization, entering the globalized era of virtual networks. hence, ink painting is not only about traditional brushwork and individual artistic styles but also involves the spatiotemporal juxtaposition and free tr**ersal of the internet age. however, it cannot be merely visual replication; it must incorporate the unique life paths and heart traces of individuals. without the singular strokes of individuality, art loses its value.
ink art must activate its absorptive and textual nature, shifting from painting to text. with such openness and reawakened vitality, along with an understanding of art as textuality and universality, when facing the pandemic crisis of the past three years, mr. dawu sees another aspect of the world. this is indicated through flying storks, subtly implying the pathology of life by placing masks on these animals. similar to how humanity has been forced to wear masks in the past three years, the overlay of these life images symbolizes the loss of the original face of life. we all wear masks; we must imagine another kind of humanity. by overlaying these storks with different scenes, the artist reminds us of the baroque-era dutch painter bosch's "garden of earthly delights," a satirical encyclopedic world view juxtaposing scenes of different life states. dawu's stork series paintings during the pandemic juxtapose many storks with human daily scenes, seemingly abrupt but actually conveying a sense of symbiosis in the world, emphasizing the inseparability of human and natural life. these homeless storks represent the truth of life! whether it's the juxtaposition of storks with innocent scenes of children or the peculiar juxtaposition of traditional bird-and-flower paintings with figures, it all reflects the previous textual expression in painting.
once an artist directly confronts the complexity of the world and the universal crisis of life, the contrast between the naturalness of storks and the artifice of human intervention creates a profound reflection. it opens up towards the future. dawu juxtaposes different times and compares the climate migration of storks with the self-imprisonment of humans, creating a whimsical metaphorical scene across spacetime. balloons and arks, the marvelous connection between human past and future, the curiosity of the clown, childhood dreams of space tr**el—all are combined in a surreal way. is this not a spacetime that ink art has ever dreamed of?
in terms of artistic expression, the artist has not abandoned the subtlety of brush and the power of lines. the jade-like texture, the warmth and intensity of colors, the reversal of traditional essence are preserved, while completely breaking the constraints of painting genres. returning to the innocence of childhood and h**ing the juxtaposition and tr**ersal sense of the technological era, the most valuable aspect is the surreal imagination combined with humor and satire, emanating from an intense sense of internal life's liberating expression—it's the wonderful expression of life's "second birth"!
this fills us with anticipation for mr. yao dawu's future paintings. such comprehensive and expansive ink art texts will undoubtedly change the current landscape of ink painting, infusing it with contemporary historicity, reflective civilization, and an acceptance of future technology. as dawu searches for the traces of master xuanzang, his inner self has already opened up to the world and civilization, progressing towards some transcendent dimension. the future prospects and boundless imagination will be limitless!
（by xia kejun）
Artist Profile
Yao Dawu.
Born in Beijing in 1963.
In 2006, he was transferred to the Beijing Fine Art Academy.
In 2016, he was transferred to the China National Academy of Painting.
He is currently a member and researcher of the Art Committee of the China National Academy of Painting.
First-class artist.
Doctoral supervisor of Communication University of China.
He is a member of the Chinese Artists Association.
Director of the Chinese Painting Society.