Some will put their selves into a perfectionalized form of integration process. Others try to hang on with people with the same scenarios: immigrants among immigrants. Another group will choose not to completely compensate the loss of common ground and is prepared to withdraw, at least for a bigger part, in their own world. Artists often create their best work, when they have a feeling of rootless when they start a new life in a new country.
When Zhanhong Liao decided to go
from her native country China to a far new country, Holland, to make a
living as an Artist, she discovered the power of the “Imaging Diary”
to express her enrooted feelings, the memories of China and the harsh
struggle to settle down and create a new ground in the new country.
In her diaries not the words, as in traditional diaries, but the images
have the role of storyteller: Images made out of paint, photo’s and
drawings by Zhanhong herself, and on the other hand existing images
selected from magazines, motives on paper, illustrations, and fabric
that she collected; cut out and stuck on into her diaries. These
diaries in the end are very thick books, which look like medieval
foliates with their parchment covers and fitting colors. Even the pages
are parchment like, stiffened as they are by the organic use of glue
and paint, and the diversity of materials such as little feathers,
pieces of paper, carbon, foil, gauze, leaves, etc.
The books are placed standing up, like an object in space, or are
hanging against a back wall in a perplex cupboard, as a result of which
the idea of a precious miniature is occurring. However, when the little
cupboards are opened carefully, one sees the product of a contemporary
art with the typical combination of the lively colors, the spontaneous
and free use of paint and the effective application of assembly and
collage – techniques.
This contemporary western style is very delicately combined with
traditional Chinese Motives like decorated paintings on rice paper,
characters etc.
By choosing this way of working a rich layered form
arises, not only in the material field; but also cultural and to its
contents. The Imaging Diary appears to be an ideal
transport means for the complexity of the underlying weight that
Zhanghong puts into her works. The harmonic way, in which she proved to
have combined both the traditional Chinese roots and the new western
influence into her new life, is perfectly shown in her diaries.
Again and again, on each pages Zhanhong succeeds to combine the most
diverse spheres in that orchestra of styles, materials and techniques
in a balanced, elegant way.
The books show a rich and very developed sensibility for color and
composition and for a great craftsmanship in handling all sorts of
materials.
Once started as a therapeutically process, Zhanhong developed herself
with her diaries into a very solid Artist with unique expression.
Interesting in this context is the naive use of rather private material in her earlier work, such as photos from her private life that could give the public a feeling of voyeurism. Also reproductions of classical Western and Asian Arts were applied without hesitation into the works of Zhanhong. But ongoing we see a clear development in the artist’s work, that from a basic copying form, with a true therapeutically value, a more personal form has transformed into an integrated and sovereign art expression. In this stage the separated parts of each completed diary are pieces of true art within itself. Each page has its own unique quality.
Sometimes a book has one specific theme, such as “Buddha”, “Butterflies” or “Winter”, where choosing a pallet of colors and specific technique emphasis the value of the theme. In other cases the “reading” of the book is a true journey of surprising moments, because of the vast differences in spheres and subjects in each diverse page.
As a witness of these diaries you have no other choice than to let yourself go with all the emotions that are created and spoken to you as in a story of 1001 Arabian Night’s, where to the artist wants to take you.
Josine Bokhoeven
Galerie Josine Bokhoeven, Amsterdam
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