Luo Mingjun is embarking on a new stage of creation, revealing a more potent and profound space in her art. According to the artist, “The enigmatic state of the mysterious unknown is best expressed through rich, thick colors like black.”
In some of Luo Mingjun’s previous creations, memory often comes in the form of images, embodying the spirituality and ambiguity that mirrors the way memory operates in life. As Walter Benjamin put it, “The work of memory (reading oneself backward, he called it) collapses time,” which is evident in her works that offer a perspective into the depths of memory. Her distinct gray-toned images possess a soulful luster reminiscent of the Proustian glow of individual memory.
If anything, Luo Mingjun expertise lies in evoking memories. Nevertheless, this time, she presents charcoal works that are invocation of the future. These enormous pieces on paper possess both simplicity and intensity. Against the nearly black background, a magnolia flower gradually blooms while two large leaves quiver ever so slightly, creating a world of their own. Luo Mingjun’s images no longer closely resemble reality or memories, but rather, are dominated by an imaginative representation of the future.
The title of the exhibition, “Drifting Through Eternity”, goes beyond Luo Mingjun’s career since she moved from China to Switzerland more than thirty years ago. The materials and elements of her art used to center around the exploration of identity and the fusion of Chinese and Western cultures, with isolation and integration being the driving forces of her creativity. However, as Luo Mingjun approached the age of sixty, confusion no longer reigned. She gained an unobstructed and sophisticated understanding of life, and her core emotions shifted from anger and sadness to something different. Instead of seeking clear answers to many questions, she accepted and understood life in her own way, proposing a new outlook as an artist. She embraced her long journey and derived courage and strength from it.
More information on the event can be found here.