Morning of Orpheus

There is a scene in the story of Orpheus which is particularly stirring. When he plays the lyre, the animals are attracted to him for music, the plants sway along, the rocks roll up to him, and even the rivers would change their course just to listen. In this scene, the rocks have a world and the animals are no longer poor in the world. Do they present a state of disclosure? Did the music allow Orpheus, and the animals, the rocks and the rivers to be open in a state of disclosure?

Orpheus once boarded Argo, a famous ship full of heroes, and sailed to the dangerous sea in search of the Golden Fleece guarded by a giant serpent. This journey even attracted leading figures in Greek mythology heroes like Hercules, Iason, Theseus, and others. At first, Orpheus was rejected from the ship. What was needed here were strong sailors and warriors, not artists. Surprisingly, Orpheus took care of the mission by himself with his lyre. The crew got the Golden Fleece effortlessly. On the homeward journey, if it were not for Orpheus' singing, everyone would have been enchanted and dragged into the water by the Sirens' song. 

Mythology metaphorically represents reality, attempting to escape from real life dilemmas, express real needs, and release real anxieties. Discussing the issue of animals is itself an attempt to understand the problems of human beings; discussing the role of art can also help us get rid of fears and temptations, to find solace, to reflect and discuss new issues.

In Chun Yan's work, she tries to visualize her thoughts, either clearly or blurred. She selects an accessible visual language and uses naturalistic approach to depict the subjects. Birds are birds, people are people, and rocks are rocks, guiding viewers to discover the themes undisturbed. At the same time, her works are more than illustrations of the story of Orpheus. Birds are not birds, people are not people, and rocks are no longer rocks. Every layer of color, oil-based, water-based, collage on paper, can keep viewers entranced by the charm of painting language and materials. In Chun Yan's paintings, the abyss between human beings and animals disappears, leaving only undifferentiated life, listening to each other in a clear and pure world.

By/Zhu Xingguo