Listen to the lotus 2019

Curator: Here in gallery seven of the Shanghai Museum, we find Dayou Lu's “Listen to the Lotus,” a watercolor on paper created in 2019. Editor: My first impression is one of serene chaos. The composition seems balanced yet brimming with life. There’s a delicate quality, contrasted with the bold brushstrokes. Curator: Exactly! Lu's work exemplifies contemporary ink wash painting, a style deeply rooted in traditional Chinese art. The lotus, of course, has profound symbolic weight, representing purity and spiritual awakening in Buddhist traditions. We often see this referenced politically, think about cultural revolutions. Editor: And look at the way Lu situates the bird. There’s something about that tilted head. It makes me question whose perspective the artwork prioritizes. Is it ours, the bird’s, the lotus’s, or perhaps it is an amalgamation of perspectives that represent intersectional identity. The viewer, or society's impact in this particular ecosystem is important to consider. Curator: It invites us to consider the place of humanity in the natural world. Dayou Lu, through works like these, pushes at established tropes in landscape art, asking important questions about where Chinese art resides in the contemporary world. The title itself acts almost as a political demand of action, what the viewer can learn by hearing from nature in this painting. Editor: Definitely. The choice to use watercolor is interesting. There's this sense of ephemerality that speaks to larger discussions happening in the art world regarding permanence and environmental awareness. Dayou Lu might be subtly suggesting nature's fragility with such delicate painting materials. Curator: I agree. This artist manages to take an art historical form deeply embedded in specific philosophical and cultural contexts and breathe contemporary social and ecological concerns into the conversation. The Shanghai Museum chose this painting specifically to show Dayou Lu’s place in recent art movements and contemporary painting. Editor: Ultimately, "Listen to the Lotus" encourages reflection, both on the traditions that shape our understanding and the urgency of contemporary realities, inviting us to observe carefully, consider perspectives, and listen intently. Curator: Indeed. It is art that inspires further exploration into both its historical context and current environmental and cultural landscapes.