CRITIC

Connecting East and West

Arthor Lee

Bo Yun was an active member of the well-known avant-garde group of artists, the "Stars", during China's democratic movements in the late 1970s. The aim of this group was to rebel against the rigid orthodoxy and repression of the Chinese authorities. Although Bo Yun only intended his paintings to express his very personal feelings and interpretation of the world, they were considered revolutionary twenty-five years ago in China.

A profounding understanding of traditional Chinese art seems to be Bo Yun's source of inspiration in his paintings. Thus, in a quite natural way, he succeeds in expressing a kind of broad but at the same time intensely detailed imagination-a characteristic usually found only in masterpieces from the Song Dynasty.

Despite long-standing trading activities between the East and the West, significant cultural and spiritual interactions did not occur until the 18th century, when Chinese intellectuals, led by the Qing Emperors, started to take a serious interest in the West. Since then, many Chinese litetati have studied Western culture and literature, becoming experts on both the East and the West. Bo Yun is definitely one of these. As a result, he expresses the traditional of the universe, nature and life, from the viewpoint of a contemporary and in a way that can also be easily understood by people from the West. His techniques and unique way of expression can be found in ink paintings from the Song Dynasty, in poems from the Tang Dynasty, as well as in Buddhist ideology.

Bo Yun's art does not seem to fit into mainstream culture or popular aesthetic standards. Rather, his paintings are destined for a more sophisticated and intellectual audience. The profound symbolism, elegance, and aesthetic appeal that characterize Bo Yun's paintings, draw viewers to appreciate and interpret his paintings over and over again. His solitary soul takes him closer to the spirit of Nature and the mind of the Maker of the rules that govern this world, more commonly referred to as God by ancient philosophers. In his paintings, we can feel the sacred and secret force that always encourages us to go forward and make progress.

Perhaps this is the reason that BoYun's paintings are so intriguing.

untitled oil on canvas 160X200cm untitled oil on canvas 200X300cm

SILENT SYMPHONY

Bo Yun’s art is fascinating. I love to sit peacefully in front of his painting whenever I try to forget about all the troubles in life. His painting reminds me of humankind’s solitude in the vast universe, the unpredictable fortunes and misfortunes in life, as well as the inevitable feeling of loneliness when people explore deep into their hearts.

On the first sight, Bo Yun gives the impression of being optimistic and humorous; deep down, however, he is a mystic. He has a profound and unique understanding of every tangible being, as well as those on a spiritual level; and he believes there are some extraordinary and inconceivable rules governing our world from the background. You might be able to read his thoughts from his paintings by appreciating them carefully, gently, and slowly. His paintings are abstract; but it can be seen as a landscape – landscapes in the eyes of a mystic look exactly like that.

Bo Yun was one of the key founders of the well-known Avant-garde group of artists who initiated the “Stars Exhibition”, which is now widely recognized as the origin of Chinese Contemporary Art. Bo Yun, together with his fellow artists, bravely expressed their true feelings and interpretations of the world, in order to rebel against the then rigid orthodoxy of mainstream art, which merely served the purpose of political propaganda. And they were not only rebelling against the rigid form of art, but also the repression imposed on the people.

Thanks to the breakthrough made by the “Star Exhibition”, Chinese Contemporary Art started to flourish. However, I am beginning to doubt the authenticity and sincerity of some so-called Chinese Contemporary Art. They seem artificial and “planned”, so as to obtain the “rebellion” label through much exaggeration. Sometimes I tend to think that they are simply attempting to please the Western eyes - you may find such examples in 798.

Today, after 28 years, the “Star Group” will have another mission to rebel against another form of “mainstream art” - the so-called Chinese Contemporary Art.

Dear friends, please have a second thought before you decide to believe the motive-driven mass media and some of the critics.

But whom to believe you might ask - your very own eyes and conscience.

Arthur Lee

Freelance writer

Page： [1] [2] [4] Page Up Page Down>>