Art of the soul
An exhibition of Shao Fan's artworks at Suzhou Museum is giving visitors a chance to view his philosophy, Lin Qi reports.
French painter Georges Rouault (1871-1958) was once asked by a student if he would continue to paint just for himself in a scenario of being banished to a deserted island where his paintings did not find a second viewer. Rouault said, of course he would, because he painted to communicate with his soul.
Chinese artist Shao Fan shares this sentiment. Over the past three decades, the 54-year-old Beijing native has kept a low profile, focusing on painting and designing, while many of his peers have actively engaged with the market to gain public exposure even at the expense of creativity.
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