Chen, Chun-Chi

2024

Well

POST WINGS

This work creates a tranquil and dreamlike atmosphere through deep blue and gray-green tones. At the center of the composition lies a hazy reclining Buddha, presented in a serene posture with the right hand as a pillow and the left hand resting naturally. The contours of the Buddha’s body are faintly visible, merging with the surrounding pale white flowers, light and shadow, and colors, symbolizing the saying from the Avatamsaka Sutra: "One is all, and all is one" — life, nature, and the universe are interdependent and integrated. The vibrant green patches within the Buddha resemble a clear lake surface, sprinkled with golden light, evoking a freshness and spirituality reminiscent of landscapes.

Beneath the reclining Buddha, a carpet of daffodils spreads out, rendered in gold in the foreground and gradually shifting to emerald green, blending into the void. This symbolizes purity, self-improvement, and resilience, as well as the inherent pure Buddha nature possessed by all beings. The movement of the daffodils in the distance adds a rhythmic vitality to the piece.

The background is depicted with layers of golden light mist, with rays slanting down, akin to wisdom illuminating the Dharma realm, symbolizing awakening and clarity of mind. The juxtaposition of the composition — the hazy Buddha and the clear daffodils — showcases the beauty of Eastern painting’s "substance in the void" and "gentle nature."

This artwork integrates techniques of light and shadow, the Avatamsaka worldview, and the delicate texture of pigment, merging the representational with the abstract, the traditional with the contemporary, leading the viewer into a realm filled with tranquility, wisdom, and inner light.

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