EXHIBITED:
Daydream Voyage-A Solo Exhibition by Yang Din , Modern Art Gallery, Taichung, May 23 – June 23, 2009

ILLUSTRATED:
YANG DIN: Daydream Voyage , Modern Art Gallery, Taichung, 2009, color illustrated, pp. 24-25

DEUX COUPES
YANG DIN

F r a n c e - b a s e d C h i n e s e a r t i s t Ya n g D i n w a s b o r n i n Guangdong, China in 1958, and moved to Paris in the 80s. He graduated from École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris in 1987 with outstanding results and was awarded First Prize at the Aube Art Fair organized in Troyes, France. Yang Din excels at using panoramic and film techniques to paint a boundless world where all are equal. He uses lines to depict nature as his heart feels it, without being too deliberate.

With construction that is simple yet delicate, exquisite and elegant, Yang Din’s work exudes a Zen atmosphere. The soft colors, layered texture of paint, and vast blank space in the painting show the eastern philosophy’s search for emptiness, as well as the focus on individual ideals in western philosophy. “For me, simplicity is important. ” Yang once said. The scenery he depicts is free from noise and vagueness; leaving behind all complications, and left with only the purity and harmony of nature. The trees, earth, and sky he draws are all elegant, expressive, and simple. In recent years, the structure of his paintings has become more simplistic, but his use of color richer. The soft structure and strong colors reflect the artist’s worldliness and his love for peacefulness.

Yang uses travel as a way to record his feelings. He says that his paintings are like the realization of abstract dreams. The brushstrokes are firm and strong, creating dreamlike sceneries in pale light. The themes of his paintings are constant, but never gets old. He uses soft colors to depict people; delicate brushstrokes and layered paint to add depth to the image.

“Deux Coupes” is the epitome of Yang’s artistic expression. He stands by his artistic language, refusing to blend into the crowd. In the scorching red background, a small table lies at the bottom left corner, two silent glasses of wine on it. The painting is full of the Zen atmosphere. The people drinking are not in the painting, and on the left there is a soft glow of light, prompting thoughts to flow through the mind, and making the painting very poetic. A graceful tree branch on the right appears to be straining out of the painting, stopping right at the edge. The construction of the branch makes use of his minimalist technique. The red of the background and the light colors of the branch complement each other. The lines are simple, the light and shadow just right, enhancing the layers and depth of the painting.