The Buddha c. 20th century

Curator: This is Qi Baishi's "The Buddha," and what strikes me immediately is its directness; it feels like a very personal interpretation. Editor: The texture of the ink wash is intriguing. There's a visible layering, giving weight and form to the robe, almost like woven fabric. What was the process like? Curator: Qi Baishi was deeply invested in traditional Chinese ink painting but broke with convention. This Buddha isn't ethereal or distant; he has a human face, holding a lotus. It challenges the traditional representation. Editor: Absolutely, and I find the way he's grounded, literally seated on the earth rather than floating, emphasizes a connection to labor, to the common person. Curator: That reading resonates. The lotus, of course, symbolizes purity and enlightenment, but the way it’s held, so gently, also suggests a tenderness, an accessibility that disrupts the more rigid, hierarchical readings of Buddhism. Editor: So, in the materiality and composition, we see not just devotion, but also a subtle subversion of expectations. Curator: Precisely, and that opens up conversations about identity and how spirituality is embodied and expressed. Editor: It's a powerful piece, the method amplifying the message.