Interview 1 – On Self-expression

24 August 2009

Below is a transcript of a short conversation with Ruth Lee (RL). While this was an informal conversation and not a formal interview, it is presented here in interview format for ease of reading.

Int: In much of modern art, including modern art from China, there seems to be a lot of self-expression. This is something new to Chinese art, isn’t it?

RL: Yes it is. Self-expression was never part of what traditional Chinese art was about. If you look at traditional Chinese landscapes, what you see is an effort to picture Nature and man in harmony. This comes from our Taoist heritage. And in paintings of flowers, birds, and still life objects, the traditional Chinese artist tries to capture the “essence” of the object, that core of “persimmon-ness” if you will that gives the depiction of the fruit that “persimmon vibe” that in the viewer’s mind prompts the, “Yeah, that’s it; exactly” reaction. So, while each artist had his own style or personality, there was never a lot of room for self-expression in traditional Chinese art; the artists were more concerned with expressing universal truths.

However, many modern Chinese painters, both here in Taiwan and on the mainland seem to have moved away from this tradition and are pursuing the self-expression and social commentary we see in much of Western art.

Int: In the past couple of years, you have done a lot of work that one could describe as “landscape” painting. In these works are you trying to express the traditional “harmony with nature” that you just mentioned?

RL: Yes, and no. That is, what I express in my work is an inner harmony that finds expression through motifs that seem more traditional. Perhaps that is because my training was in traditional Chinese ink techniques rather than in oils or acrylics – and, of course, the traditional aesthetic values those traditional materials and techniques best express.

The harmony I express in my work is a personal harmony – the kind of quietude that is left after the emotional catharsis and psychological housecleaning is over. It seems to me that some artists create works that display or share all the stuff they throw away through this reflective process; I try to express the joy and peace that remains after the process is over.

Int: So, your art is an expression of the personal, rather than the traditional expression of universal harmony?

RL: I guess you could say that, but I like to think that by expressing my personal joy and quietude and harmony I am also sharing a universal desire for this state. Doesn’t everyone long for this kind of personal space? So, in that sense what I am doing is sharing an expression of a feeling that is universal.

Int: If we could move from what you express to how you express it, I would like to talk about some of the images in your work. In your most recent work, the paintings between 2005 and 2007, many of your landscapes seem to take on an almost abstract quality. Of course, the trees are still trees and the flowers are still flowers, but they aren’t done “realistically.”

RL: Yes, you will notice that the forms have become much simpler, and in some cases they are rendered in just geometrical shapes. I did this because I wanted to concentrate on the colors and on how the colors and shapes contributed to a given painting’s overall mood. This large series of paintings was done during a special time in my life. I was living in Texas, in a community where I was fortunate to be able to live a very quiet life with lots of support from family and friends. I found lots of stimulation and inspiration in the local natural environment and in the many works of contemporary Chinese literature that I found at the local library. However, the greatest impact on my life and on my creative work at that time was finding my religious path.

When I was growing up, I was driven, as I still am, by the need to create. Before becoming a Catholic, though, art also filled an equally pressing need – the need to find a peaceful place. Now, however, my faith provides me that peace. So, my art is no longer an expression of a desire to find peace but a sharing of the joy and quietude my faith has brought me.

Int: So, your work is moving away from the traditional Chinese aesthetic in that in your work you are expressing you personal emotional states or experiences.

RL: I wouldn’t say that I am expressing myself, actually. It’s more like the images I produce are a reflection of my inner state. I have been trained since childhood in how to use tools and techniques to produce beautiful images, and I have always believed that that was the goal of art – the production of something true and beautiful. So, even when my inner state is not as peaceful as I might like (as when I did the series of dream-like images of women), I still want to present my feelings in a beautiful image. After all, my goal as an artist, you will remember, is the production and sharing of beauty. In my work I am not exploring my feelings or thinking about personal or social issues. I am merely trying to create a beautiful image, an image that I hope reflects an emotional state that others will find personally meaningful in as well.