「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」Revelation: Shao Yinong – From Breaking the External to Establishing the Inner

By using art to dismantle the worldly standards and by gazing to awaken inner awareness, Shao Yinong’s art has always been in the process of “breaking the external” and “establishing the inner”, unfolding a profound leap from “observing the world” to “observing the heart”.

The core of “Observation” lies in the dissection of the established rules of reality. In the installation “Unlimited Awareness”, the combination of stones and bent steel bars undermines the myth of quantified value, directly pointing to people’s blind calculation of gains and losses, priorities and importance; In “A Century’s Dream”, the smoke stains have a more penetrating power. The traces left by the burning flames represent the trajectory of life, breaking the cognitive barrier of “human-centeredness”, and metaphorically highlighting the insignificance of individuals in the long history and cosmic order, deconstructing the excessive amplification of human self-worth. This stage of creation uses the tension of materials to peel away the surface of reality, criticizing those external standards that bind the soul.

When the creative process shifts to “observing the mind”, art becomes a spiritual refuge that nourishes the soul. In the exhibition, the Zen-like space he constructed resonates with the proposition of “letting go of identity and gazing with an empty heart”. He sees the true nature of life in the growth and decay of flowers and plants, and perceives the spiritual resonance in the tranquility of the Buddha statues. In this “two-way awakening”, art not only penetrates the essence of the objects but also enables the viewers to reflect on themselves while observing, revealing the clarity and freedom within their own inner selves.

From dismantling external rules to returning to inner enlightenment, Shao Yinong’s artistic essence is more like a spiritual self-rescue. Through his works, he tells us that true balance does not lie on the scale, but in the clarity of the heart. This is precisely the spiritual enlightenment that contemporary people most need.

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