Enjoy the Sun

作品賞析

Mountains on a Clear Day Push away the Clouds is a painting that recalls the style of the blue-and-green landscapes of the Tang dynasty—it takes us very far back in time. It also gives us a dreamlike, surrealistic feeling, when we notice the giant, anthropomorphized mountain figure sits idly amidst encircling clouds and dense forest. The artist, Liao Wen-Hao, depicts the textures of the mountains with fine, delicate oxhair strokes, and we can see his complete mastery of the brush and ink everywhere in the composition. When the literati walked into the countryside, they felt the magnificence of the mountains and rivers. However, Liao Wen-Hao looks inward to find mental images of nature. The human body itself becomes a self-operating microcosm, presenting the Daoist idea that “the small recluse hides in the wilderness and the great recluse hides in the city.” The leisurely, unrestrained life is not necessarily achieved in the countryside—even if you are in the city, you can find your own peace. The anthropomorphic image is a bit of modern humor. Perhaps Liao Wen-Hao created his own “landscape of life.”