Yifan Chen,

Artist and Educator

Looking Beyond The Surface

浮生若梦，为欢几何？[1]

—— 春夜宴从弟桃花园序 (唐·李白)

Translation by Lin Yutang: "Our floating life is like a dream; how many times can one enjoy one's self?"[2] 

—“A Spring Night amidst Peach Blossoms”
(Li Bai, Tang Dynasty 618–907)

In Chinese culture, calligraphy is considered an important way of spiritual enjoyment and self-cultivation. Learning calligraphy in art education promotes character development and cultural appreciation through repetition and copying, as exemplified by my childhood experience of practicing it to cultivate patience and discipline.

Calligraphy was a source of enlightenment for me. Through repetitive writing and practicing famous calligraphy works, my skills improved and I found inner peace, using it as a tool to regulate my emotions when feeling anxious during my experiences with different educational systems. Calligraphy has become a window into my life, where I can find a sense of permanence amidst life's impermanence.

"Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering"[3] is an iconic calligraphy work that portrays the beauty of life and nature while reflecting on the fleeting nature of existence and the value of life, inspiring generations of Chinese artists and scholars. My work repeats the work in calligraphy on a transparent surface combined with surrounding scenery to convey the multi-perspective and ever-changing nature of the same object in different contexts.

[1] Bai, L. (618–907) A Spring Night amidst Peach Blossoms.
[2] Yutang, L. (1938) The importance of living. P.163
[3] Xizhi, W. (A.D.353) Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering.