「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」Yu Youhan: Unconstrained by Form, Beyond the Circle

Yu Youhan once said that the sense of stability of a circle can represent both the beginning and the end. The “circle” in his works of the 1980s, which coincided with the spirit of the “circle” in theWeiyang Sect of Zen Buddhism, was not only the original completeness but also the ultimate destination that encompasses all phenomena. Over half a century of creation, it has constantly transformed and eventually coexisted on the canvas with the brilliance of Pop art, the texture of landscapes, and the temperature of current affairs.

The early “circle” was the purity of “beginning”, with dots and short lines weaving free philosophical thoughts, and also the origin of the “circle image”. “199301” allows the circle image to hide the possibility of breakthrough within its completeness. In the 1990s, in the leader-themed works, the head portraits collided with radiating lines, and the saturated colors endowed a peaceful temperament. The handling method was the spirit of Zen Buddhism of “not getting stuck in form and holding onto the core”.

As time goes by, the motif progresses layer by layer like the practice of the circular symbol. “Yimeng Mountain with Flowers” allows the pop flowers to bloom in the landscape, which is the free expansion of the circular symbol. The once pure abstract symbol thus becomes a container for carrying memories.

Self-study and the absorption and transformation of Western nutrients have enabled him to avoid being confined to abstraction or figurative imagery. True artistic freedom lies in making the original intention at the beginning to the confidence at the end, and growing new possibilities in the cycle. Great creations, in the balance of persistence and openness, are like the circle symbol, constantly evolving and approaching infinity in the process of cultivation.

The tea for today is all gone. Next time, I’ll brew a fresh pot and enjoy art with you again.