ESSENCE innovatively inherits traditional Chinese aesthetics through the fusion of colour and gesture.
In Chinese Taoism, nothingness is transformed into points, points into lines, lines into surfaces, and surfaces into solid space that presents and contains everything.
The soul of Chinese medicine is qi, which constitutes the human mind’s talent and is divided into yin and yang. Yang Qi is the masculine energy, while Yin is the feminine energy that constitutes the human sensory form. Yin and yang are united as the Tao. In ancient Chinese aesthetics, the concept of round beauty is an important spiritual symbol of Chinese culture.
Gold, wood, water, fire and earth are collectively referred to as the five elements. The five elements are the five states of operation of qi, which is the result of the operation of xing, the qi produced by movement. Ancient Chinese philosophers used the theory of the five elements to explain the formation of all things in the world and their interrelationships.
Calligraphy is an expression of Chinese culture where the elemental symbols express a personal point of view and story. I have studied calligraphy since I was a child, as the practice of calligraphy is valued in my family and in Chinese culture. I use video to document personal and contemporary Chinese calligraphy styles through acrylic panels, where modern materials are combined with ancient Chinese art calligraphy. The video and still images create new symbolism for contemporary Chinese culture, questioning the balance of elements and the connection to the environment or the beauty of the circle.