Chao Er Tai

1977

些許泛黃

POST WINGS

The composition features a towering mountain as the main subject, its massive and almost abstract form occupying more than half of the canvas, creating a strong presence and spiritual weight. In front of the mountain stands a single tall palm tree, its vertical strokes contrasting with the mountain's solidity.

This solitary plant is a recurring core motif in Zhao Erdai's works—isolated, not clustered, and not forming a landscape, but facing the heavens and the earth as a singular entity. The palm, as a subtropical plant, responds to its natural environment while symbolizing a way of life that grows on the fringes, stretching upwards.

In the distant white space of the sky, a white dove circles, depicted with minimal brushwork, yet becoming a key spiritual point in the composition. The dove does not land or perch but rather spirals high in the air, symbolizing a state of freedom that is unpossessed and unbound. This freedom is not an escape from the world but a choice to soar after understanding the weight of existence.

In terms of composition, Zhao Erdai constructs the scene with extremely simplified elements: mountain, tree, bird, and sky. The horizontal space is compressed, while the vertical momentum is intensified, naturally guiding the viewer’s gaze upwards, entering a viewing path that moves from the earth to the sky, from form to essence. This is not merely a depiction of a natural landscape but a presentation of a personal stance.

The brushstroke language continues its signature style of simple ink wash, with the mountain built up with wet ink layering, removing concrete details and retaining only the sense of grandeur and weight; the palm is rendered with clear lines, forming a spiritual axis. The overall composition does not seek lyricism or grandeur but calmly and restrainedly presents the gaze of someone who understands their position, reflecting on freedom.

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