Lot 730: LU SHENGZHONG B. 1952

AFTER-EFFECTS OF TIANANMEN

AFTER-EFFECTS OF TIANANMEN

measurements note
each 137.5 by 35 cm. 54 1/8 by 13 3/4 in. (8)

paper cut glued on a set of eight panels

NOTE

"I did not invent the shape of the Little Red Figure.
The Little Red Figure stretches out its four limbs symmetrically-its feet touch the earth as its hands support the sky. Similar figures from early civilizations have been found in various areas of the world. As the earliest form of a self-portrait, and the first evidence of self-awareness, the figure illustrates many similarities among early civilizations.
With advances in scientific technology, and a general decline in religious beliefs, it is probable that few people any longer believe that souls exist inside human bodies as little figures. Nor do people perform rituals to callback departed souls. However, materialism and lack of concern for the world beyond the here and now have left the modern man spiritually and mentally damaged...as I cut paper with my scissors and remove the shapes that result from my activity, I make a statement against the separation of soul and body in contemporary thought. I summon the detached forms of the souls so that they can be reunited with their bodies. This can be compared to the juxtaposition of positive and negative forms, or the perfect coexistence of the curves of yin and yang. From the start, I felt an inner obligation to understand this simple yet complicated mission."

Reference:
L¨¹ Shengzhong, "The Way Forward," First Encounter L¨¹ Shengzhong, New York, Chambers Fine Art, 2001, p. 6.