“…Abandoning the worldliness,  I often come to this tranquil place –

The spirit here is the spirit of Zen.” Ryokan (c. 1758 to 1831)

Contemplation Map – The Spirit of Zen paintings by talented contemporary Chinese artist Liao Jianhua celebrates the spirit of Zen. Featuring 12 paintings inspired by the aesthetic ideas and spiritual values of Zen, this exhibition captures the Zen ideals such as simplicity, austerity, restraint and naturalness.

Liao Jianhua works on an unconventional medium of cotton and adopts an abstract expressionism style through painstaking Chinese brushstrokes. At first glance, his abstract compositions appear to be dense and complex but they gradually become austere and contemplative.  By incorporating the Zen ideals into his paintings, Liao brings a sense of tranquility and harmony into our pressurized routines and myriad external distractions.

Born in 1981 in Hunan Yueyang, Lao Jianhua graduated from Yueyang Normal College and currently resides in Beijing Song Zhuang.  He shows immense talent and potential and has participated in several group exhibitions across China.