1990-5 

Editor: So, this piece is titled "1990-5" by Yu Youhan, made using acrylic paint. It strikes me as incredibly vibrant and almost dizzying with its repetition. What do you see in this work? Curator: It speaks to the enduring power of the symbol, doesn't it? Look at how this apparently abstract configuration calls to mind a landscape—a field of flowers, perhaps, or a dense forest seen from above. This connects with something primal, a memory embedded deep within our collective unconscious. Editor: A landscape? I was so caught up in the abstract nature of the painting, I didn't consider that. Curator: But does it feel chaotic, or is there a rhythm? Notice how the colours shift, creating subtle movements. Does this feel rooted to any specific landscape in your imagination, or something perhaps more internal and symbolic? Editor: I see what you mean about the colours; they give it depth. And no, not really any one landscape comes to mind; it's more of a feeling. So, this layering of pattern and colour can evoke memory and a sense of place without being explicitly representational? Curator: Precisely. Think of mandalas, or other culturally specific geometric patterns. Though abstract, they’re laden with symbolic meaning, evoking specific emotions and spiritual connections. How does it challenge your conventional idea of ‘landscape painting?’ Editor: Well, I wouldn't immediately call it that! It challenges me to think more abstractly about place and how symbols and colors evoke those feelings. Curator: Absolutely. It reminds us that visual language is about more than just depicting what we see, it is equally powerful as evocation of experience. Editor: I hadn’t considered that before. This makes me want to explore the role of symbolism more. Curator: Wonderful. The conversation continues, just like symbols evolving with time and interpretations.