Painting - The Alchemy of Existence

Text and images by Chen Chi-Hsiang. After returning to Paris from Taiwan, a creative energy flowed within me. I threw myself fully into creation, almost always practicing in the "gym" of existence. Of course, having a solo exhibition early next year was a factor, but creation is not absolutely tied to exhibitions; it is a personal need, a stream of individual consciousness. Creation stems from present-moment awareness. As philosopher Nietzsche said, "Artistic creation is to prevent 'truth' from dying." One must manifest current emotions and viewpoints through action. Transforming awareness into images and words is essential; otherwise, it is difficult to concretely share personal experiences and insights with others. Creation becomes an outlet for life energy. Creation (painting, photography, and writing) is my alchemy of existence.

Since last year, there has been a significant shift in my creation. Amidst the impermanence of life, following the stream of consciousness, it becomes the truth of life, becoming the growth hormone for life's transformation. Creation is indeed a life necessity; liberating thoughts and consciousness must be implemented, and practice leads to the sublimation of life. For over ten years, my creation has revolved around "truth without form" and "truth encompassing all forms." Illusions and emptiness are the truths of existence. "All appearances are illusory." All appearances are inherently empty; they have no self-nature. Without self-nature, appearance is non-appearance (Note 1). Under awareness, truth will have nowhere to hide, and beauty will be everywhere. I often joke that "truth and illusions are indistinguishable, both called wondrous appearances."

Obviously, recent shifts are merely formal; the essence remains unchanged and unchangeable. Change aims only to get closer to reality and align more closely with present consciousness, with no other intent. Present reality is more fascinating than value or price. I continue to expand mirror-image consciousness, exploring aesthetics of twins or analogies (self-reflection paintings). Mirror images are ubiquitous; existence itself is like a mirror image. Painting reflects the creator's inner deep imagery. The world is a mirror for humanity; the present moment is facing the mirror surface. That reality is the power point of existence, just so.

Starting last year, I constructed images from natural plants or small objects nearby, moving into mirror-surface figure scenarios. Inspiration came from Anish Kapoor’s mirror-object sculptures, attempting to probe the mysteries of existence through mirror visuals or illusions. Dramatically, amidst multiple reflections on mirrors, I captured images and consciousness of time and space. Last year, I completed two series of self-portrait variations (four paintings each). Simple portraits, under multi-faceted regular mirror reflections, formed images of multiple fragmented crystals. The dramatic, dreamlike scenes, between concrete, imagery, and mental images, were full of visuality and imaginative space, reflecting current illusory situations and existential consciousness. This new series is more delicate and complex, requiring concentrated effort to paint, taking much time in the exploration of creation. Indeed, time is inevitable, so only four paintings were done in half a year. Time in the gym is open and creative; it leads to timelessness. Within it, one needs not only meticulousness, focus, and patience, but also wholeheartedness. Immersed in time and space, entering a meditative state of creation, time becomes an inevitable element of existential alchemy.

This year, I continued to expand mirror consciousness. Two series of paintings approaching mental images and abstraction exist naturally within the rich reflective, illusory environment of light and shadow changes on mirrors, becoming even more complex and delicate compared to the figure series. The gradient changes of mirrors and the four-sided refraction and reflection of light and shadow create invisible patterns. In the rhythmic, structural, and digital construction of mirrors, rhythmic color fragments appear and disappear in light and shadow illusions. Between sensibility and expression, full of visuality and illusion, is this not exactly what it means that "truth encompasses all forms"? Master Jing Kong said, "All appearances are illusory." Huang Jinhe stated, "The truth of life—the emptiness in Buddhism—what is the greatest art? It should be how to express emptiness" (Note 2).

Note 1: From Master Jing Kong’s teachings. Note 2: Huang Jinhe - "Pioneer of Taiwanese Aesthetics"