Recording the Difficulties of Life by Lo Tsen, 2000
“Therefore, one should not adhere to a single way, but neither should one avoid the way.” (Diamond Sutra)
Of the 26 years since 1973, I have lived abroad for 16 years. So every three or four years, I moved my household. Usually, it was a big move across the continent – sometimes it was from East to West; other times, from West to East.
Therefore, I have continuously experienced differences in language, culture, lifestyles, and conceptual thinking in various societies. I always needed to learn and adjust to changing situations.
This kind of life and experience has caused me to take different approaches and perspectives. Observing and thinking about all aspects have made me deeply appreciate the concept that “all men are brothers,” with the spirit and affection from the same root.
However, I did not realize this until my painting finally reflected these experiences of my life and affections. Only then did I realize the real meaning of creativity.
Speaking frankly, I have never painted just to search out one subject of life. For me, creativity releases a kind of energy, a kind of self-expanding energy, which is inside me. It seems like a kind of force which is always pulling me. I am not entirely sure what it is, because I can never prove that it exists. I only subconsciously do what I want to do: artistic creation. When I am doing this, I must wait patiently, wait for an unknown indication. This kind of experience is magnificent.
Why do I say it is unknown? Because I have never set up my topic in advance. I only choose the general subject, such as the human body, scenery, inside of a room, things, etc. I let all the other aspects to be decided by instinct and feeling. These parts include construction, sharp delineations, colors, shadows, feelings of the tangible things, dots, lines and planes, etc. These are the thoughts and management techniques of painting. What kind of messages they will reveal, I do not know.
It sounds ridiculous, but it is a fact. I am different from many artists, who can tell exactly why they paint or what they paint. Maybe it is because I am not wise and capable, or maybe it is a different method of pursuing the truth. In general, we think that, due to subjective and objective factors, when the man pursues the truth, it is similar to the story of the blind men touching the different parts of an elephant and having different perceptions and descriptions of the elephant.
In 1993, I came back to Taiwan to settle down. Everyday I was busy with housework, amid all kinds of chaos. Meanwhile I was doing some paintings. I had finished Memoir of a Tragedy, Asking Heaven, The Beings, The Fate, etc.
I do not know why my paintings reveal gloom and misery, a picture of silence after destruction. These feelings are entirely different from my daily life. Where are they coming from? I could not help thinking and asking myself for answers. At last, I found the answer. Since 1992, there have been so many wars in the East Europe and Africa, and the situation there got worse and worse.
Everyday I watched the television news reports, my vision was pushed to the other side of the world, where I saw thousands and thousands of people being chased, killed, and tortured. It seemed that I was among them; therefore, my tears fell in sadness. If this feeling was not recorded in my paintings, I probably would forget my heartaches. I am glad that I can paint, and I can paint without consciousness. Only this is truth to me.
Many people have said that my paintings always express hardship, loneliness, confinement, estrangement, and disaster. However, I had never purposely painted them, but they just came out from the tip of my brush. Consequently, many people could not believe it. It was too much trouble to explain. Later, I finally found the explanation in the Diamond Sutra: “Therefore, one should not adhere to a single way, but neither should one avoid the way.” (Diamond Sutra) This statement clearly explains the spirit of pursuing the way.
Life is proof that, in timeless eternity and limitless space, an individual is very tiny, as tiny as one grain of sand. Because of the existence of every tiny grain of sand, we can prove that lasting history and civilization have been derived from such small things as one man‘s life, into the greater whole: the change and development of the entire human society.
English translation by Elizabeth Lamb, Ph.D.
“Therefore, one should not adhere to a single way, but neither should one avoid the way.” (Diamond Sutra)
Of the 26 years since 1973, I have lived abroad for 16 years. So every three or four years, I moved my household. Usually, it was a big move across the continent – sometimes it was from East to West; other times, from West to East.
Therefore, I have continuously experienced differences in language, culture, lifestyles, and conceptual thinking in various societies. I always needed to learn and adjust to changing situations.
This kind of life and experience has caused me to take different approaches and perspectives. Observing and thinking about all aspects have made me deeply appreciate the concept that “all men are brothers,” with the spirit and affection from the same root.
However, I did not realize this until my painting finally reflected these experiences of my life and affections. Only then did I realize the real meaning of creativity.
Speaking frankly, I have never painted just to search out one subject of life. For me, creativity releases a kind of energy, a kind of self-expanding energy, which is inside me. It seems like a kind of force which is always pulling me. I am not entirely sure what it is, because I can never prove that it exists. I only subconsciously do what I want to do: artistic creation. When I am doing this, I must wait patiently, wait for an unknown indication. This kind of experience is magnificent.
Why do I say it is unknown? Because I have never set up my topic in advance. I only choose the general subject, such as the human body, scenery, inside of a room, things, etc. I let all the other aspects to be decided by instinct and feeling. These parts include construction, sharp delineations, colors, shadows, feelings of the tangible things, dots, lines and planes, etc. These are the thoughts and management techniques of painting. What kind of messages they will reveal, I do not know.
It sounds ridiculous, but it is a fact. I am different from many artists, who can tell exactly why they paint or what they paint. Maybe it is because I am not wise and capable, or maybe it is a different method of pursuing the truth. In general, we think that, due to subjective and objective factors, when the man pursues the truth, it is similar to the story of the blind men touching the different parts of an elephant and having different perceptions and descriptions of the elephant.
In 1993, I came back to Taiwan to settle down. Everyday I was busy with housework, amid all kinds of chaos. Meanwhile I was doing some paintings. I had finished Memoir of a Tragedy, Asking Heaven, The Beings, The Fate, etc.
I do not know why my paintings reveal gloom and misery, a picture of silence after destruction. These feelings are entirely different from my daily life. Where are they coming from? I could not help thinking and asking myself for answers. At last, I found the answer. Since 1992, there have been so many wars in the East Europe and Africa, and the situation there got worse and worse.
Everyday I watched the television news reports, my vision was pushed to the other side of the world, where I saw thousands and thousands of people being chased, killed, and tortured. It seemed that I was among them; therefore, my tears fell in sadness. If this feeling was not recorded in my paintings, I probably would forget my heartaches. I am glad that I can paint, and I can paint without consciousness. Only this is truth to me.
Many people have said that my paintings always express hardship, loneliness, confinement, estrangement, and disaster. However, I had never purposely painted them, but they just came out from the tip of my brush. Consequently, many people could not believe it. It was too much trouble to explain. Later, I finally found the explanation in the Diamond Sutra: “Therefore, one should not adhere to a single way, but neither should one avoid the way.” (Diamond Sutra) This statement clearly explains the spirit of pursuing the way.
Life is proof that, in timeless eternity and limitless space, an individual is very tiny, as tiny as one grain of sand. Because of the existence of every tiny grain of sand, we can prove that lasting history and civilization have been derived from such small things as one man‘s life, into the greater whole: the change and development of the entire human society.
English translation by Elizabeth Lamb, Ph.D.