My work comes from life experience, using narrative to dig out seemingly insignificant details. Every time a memory pops up, or I have a nightmare, I immediately record my inner events in my notebook. Every image in my work is a metaphor and also a story.

 

The elements I use in my work are very simple. Inspired by Chinese ink painting, I am interested in using traditional materials to explore different effects. For me, charcoal is a special material because its black degree is very deep. The range of tones allows me to express different emotions.

 

In Black Tree (2021) the interaction of charcoal and canvas is used to explore the memory of mind and body. In this large-scale drawing, charcoal moves on the canvas like black lightning through the heart of the last line of defense. Black trees, like burning trees, create a new cognition in the residue and blur.

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When charcoal, oil paint, and turpentine collide in <<childhood>> (2021) a flame-like texture appears on the canvas. And it seems to me like the flames of hell. The atmosphere is strange, evoking an environment that appears in my nightmares.

 

<<childhood>> is a series of drawings that explores the topic of child abuse. I draw on personal experiences and memories as well as dreams to create my works. I use simple colors and forms that evoke memories: high heels, chopsticks, bench, hanger, hands. The greatest love in the world comes from maternal love. But I think the biggest harm in the world is also from the mother. So, in this work, I both describe and obscure the relationship between my mother and me.

 

The color red, with strong connotations in Chinese culture, is important in <<childhood>>. Red is from the color of the sun, so the ancients believed that "the sun for virtue, the month for punishment, the month and all things die, the sun and all things live". Everything is alive under the sun. For me, red carries a strong sense of power. Even though I had a bad past, I still yearn for a better life in the future.

 

In my work, I try to express the fear, insecurity, and pain of my inner world to my audience. I want to release my suppressed emotions completely through this work, and I hope to heal the pain in my heart.