Rain-Swept Peaks, from the series "Sacrifice" One from a set of twenty-four album leaves; ink on paper; with signature in clerical script (lishu) reading "Li Junyi 05"

Curator: This is Lee Chun-Yi's work, "Rain-Swept Peaks," part of the "Sacrifice" series. It resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Initially, I'm struck by its stark, almost pixelated quality. The limited palette creates a sense of melancholy. Curator: The gridded structure and the arch framing the image give it a feel of viewing a sacred landscape through a digital veil. The red dot at the top calls to mind an offering or a sacrifice. Editor: Yes, there's a tension between the ethereal mountainscape and the rigid grid that contains it. The grid itself seems to dissect the natural scene. Curator: Perhaps suggesting a disconnect between humanity and nature or the attempt to quantify something ultimately spiritual. Editor: The materiality is also interesting, it seems to be composed of tiny dots to create the tonal variations. I wonder about the time spent in constructing this image. Curator: Indeed, a modern interpretation of a traditional landscape. Editor: A powerful statement using simple means. Curator: An intriguing blend of tradition and modernity, wouldn't you agree?