Introduction
Star Gallery is delighted to announce the presentation of Liu Haichen's solo exhibition "Whosoever Is Delighted in Solitude Is Either a Wild Beast or a God" on August 26, 2023, featuring the latest works by Liu Haichen from the past two years, and the exhibition is curated by Wang Jiang. The works on view focus on the relationship between man and nature, exploring the aesthetics and transcendental spirit of the wilderness behind the magnificent and fantastic natural landscapes and the many dilemmas modern civilization presents to the human mind. In many scenes, the human appearance ignites the "beauty of the wilderness," which, in turn, aims to activate the original self and memories in the viewer's soul. These works create a new myth, that is, "returning to the origins." As the figures in the paintings go into the wilderness, they return to the original homeland of human beings. As Liu Haichen explains, "The essence of freedom does not lie in culture, but in nature, and the closer human beings are to nature, the more likely they will be free." His works depict the moment people walk into the wilderness, consciously crossing the boundary between civilization and barbarism, taking on the role of "the transcendent," going from being free in a specific context to a general sense of freedom. What is particularly remarkable is that Liu Haichen's art practice explores the spirituality in natural phenomena and expresses human emotions. The spirit of transcendentalism stimulates his creativity, allowing him to integrate humanity and divinity into his depicted landscapes. Through intuitive thinking and painterly techniques, he elevates landscapes to the realm of the supernatural. In this sense, unlike conventional religious paintings, Liu Haichen's "transcendental landscapes" provide evidence that people can find divinity in nature.
The exhibition title, "Whosoever Is Delighted in Solitude Is Either a Wild Beast or a God," is taken from Aristotle's Politics, in which Aristotle claimed man to be the most social animal, and thus the original meaning of this phrase embodies his derogation of loneliness. In today’s context, people’s distaste for social life is embodied to an extreme in Liu Haichen's painting. His depictions of people living far away from the city and of fantastic and magnificent natural landscapes brought together the indispensable support of the "beast" (wilderness) and the "god" (the transcendental). Hence, with the exhibition title, "Whosoever Is Delighted in Solitude Is Either a Wild Beast or a God, "the show attempts to subvert its original meaning, and with the images depicted in Liu Haichen's paintings to show its significance in the current era.
The exhibition title, "Whosoever Is Delighted in Solitude Is Either a Wild Beast or a God," is taken from Aristotle's Politics, in which Aristotle claimed man to be the most social animal, and thus the original meaning of this phrase embodies his derogation of loneliness. In today’s context, people’s distaste for social life is embodied to an extreme in Liu Haichen's painting. His depictions of people living far away from the city and of fantastic and magnificent natural landscapes brought together the indispensable support of the "beast" (wilderness) and the "god" (the transcendental). Hence, with the exhibition title, "Whosoever Is Delighted in Solitude Is Either a Wild Beast or a God, "the show attempts to subvert its original meaning, and with the images depicted in Liu Haichen's paintings to show its significance in the current era.
The exhibition runs from August 26th to October 8th, during which Liu Haichen's works will rotate in three presentations, bringing visitors a rich and varied visual experience. Star Gallery looks forward to welcoming you during these three iterations of the exhibition.
