Myriad 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 06"

Curator: Lee Chun-Yi's work, “Myriad Peaks,” part of the “Sacrifice” series, presents an intriguing interplay of landscape and geometric abstraction. It's currently held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It immediately strikes me as a rather unsettling, almost clinical depiction of nature, contained within that rigid grid. Curator: Precisely. The use of the grid subverts traditional landscape painting, creating a tension between organic forms and the imposition of structure. Notice how the peaks are rendered within that framework, a visual metaphor perhaps for control or constraint? Editor: Yes, and considering the series title, "Sacrifice," one can't help but wonder what is being sacrificed here. Is it the freedom of nature, the artist's vision, or perhaps a commentary on societal constraints imposed on the natural world? Curator: The monochromatic palette further enhances this sense of restraint, focusing attention on the meticulous detail and the underlying geometric scaffolding. It also simplifies and distills the image into almost pure form. Editor: Ultimately, it leaves us with a powerful question: what are the costs of imposing order and control, be it on nature, society, or even our own selves? Curator: An excellent point. The work clearly operates on many levels.