“LAYERS” was picked as the name of this exhibition. Firstly because it quite literally described the technique I used in my collage -  I cut my failed artworks apart and reorganized them in different layers to create something new. Secondly, in my art practice there are different layers of meanings I want to convey, both to myself and to my audience. Which layer to prefer, and how deep to go, is up to the audience.

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LAYER 1: SEEING

 

SEEING is all about the visual. As a Chinese ink artist I feel driven to explore the new possibilities of Chinese calligraphy and ink painting in the contemporary context. My experience living and working in Denmark has been a great cultivator of Scandinavian aesthetic, which influenced my art heavily and continues to give me rich visual inspiration. 

 

LAYER 2: TALKING

 

TALKING is about unification. Line paintings and calligraphy have been separate tracks of my art creation for many years. They are two branches from the same tree, but the audience reacts to each very differently. They see one as “peaceful”, the other as “wild”. In the form of collage, it becomes possible to unify the two and it has been proven: they TALK to each other. 

 

LAYERS 3: THINKING

 

THINKING refers to the philosophical level. My art practice is heavily influenced by Buddhist teaching and thought processes. The line painting is part of my Buddhist meditation and the calligraphy works reflects my current comprehension of Buddha’s teaching. 

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LAYER 4: TRUTH

 

TRUTH is beyond SEEING, TALKING  and THINKING. To explain the TRUTH I would like to borrow a metaphor from Zen Buddhism. If Zen is the moon then all the Zen practice is just the finger pointing to the moon. All my art practice is just like the pointing finger. If you want to know the TRUTH then perhaps I could help to point you to the moon. 

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-Yufan Wang

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