Dream Shura

作品賞析

The work Dream Shura conveys a realm inside artist Hsu Pei-Cheng’s mindset. For him, reaching middle age has not brought him the Confucian promise of “no confusion,” but instead, he feels a strong sense of uncertainty about the future. His creative journey twists through uncertainty, like a labyrinth without an end. In the painting, puppies wander inside a maze formed by Chinese garden walls, like people constantly searching for an exit from the maze of life. The constructed wall symbolizes the swastika , representing the cycle of time and life. The black wings integrated into the labyrinth signify the soul of an angel, listening to the voices of the human world. In a circular space inlaid with gold foil and plastic rhinestones, a black dog and a white dog joyfully celebrate their arrival at an “ideal realm.” While we rejoice, the white curtain at the side of the painting, marking the boundary between the stage and the backstage, reminds the viewer not to become overly absorbed in the drama, for it is all just a dream.