lin yang
I was born and raised in China before coming to the US for my phD study in materials science and engineering. After earning my degree and working in research for several years, I turned to art.
Taoist philosophy in my veins and my background in material science provide me a unique lens. I believe in the unity of humanity and nature (天人合一), I explicitly incorporate the ideas, the way follows nature (道法自然) and effortless action (无为) , into my art practice; I believe all things is interconnected from the smallest atom to the largest galaxy, because everything we see is composed of atoms born from the same origin. The parallels between human and botanical organs (e.g. orchid flower vs. human vagina) reveal a shared patterns that bind all lives together.
I wonder about the truth of life, the boundaries of consciousness, and the interconnectedness of all things.
Tree, to me, is a totem. In my art, tree stands alone yet deeply rooted in the earth, transcends the noise of the modern world. Tree is a silent witness to time, enduring and resilient, weathered bit by bit, only to return to the ground after a long enough time. As a spiritual being, tree embodies both transience and permanence.
I paint the blooming plants, fresh fruits and vegetables, as a ritual of summoning their spirits, capturing not just the physical form but their essence. The plant may wither, the food may decay, yet its soul stays in the sanctuary (canvas). Meanwhile, I collect and paint the dried flowers and fruits to appreciate imperfection, transience and impermanent. Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び).
In my calligraphy art, I bridge the ancient tradition and contemporary expression, carry the authentic energy into the present.
My installation, an act of storytelling, constructed from natural and found materials like wood sticks, dried plants and nylon fibers, is the testament of the passage of time, the preservation of memory and emotion, and the bond between humanity and nature.
This is still only the beginning of my art journey.
I hope to reveal the delicate balance between life’s fleeting beauty and its enduring truths, to embrace the cycles of growth, decay and renewal, to follow the universal rhythm and dissolve into the mother nature.
Collection and Exhibition List:
Three Tulips Dancing with Wind, 2024
RED Bluff art gallery 3-D virtual exhibit (Page 63)
https://www.redbluffartgallery.com/flowers2024.htm
Make a Wish, 2023
Exhibited in LanSu Chinese Garden for a "Year of the Rabbit" exhibition in spring 2023, in Portland, Oregon
Tree II: Douglas Fir
Collected by Edmo-Parker Family Collection, 2022
Cat and Lemon Leaves
Permanently collected and installed in the Graduate Medical Education Offices in UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital Pavilion A, 2021, Lexington, Kentucky
For purchase and other inquires:
Email: lin.missstranger@gmail.com
Instagram: lin.yang.art