From the Ark of Noah and his family of eight in times of old, to the present lifework of Elon Musk's SpaceX: the ark as imagery quickly brings to mind an arc of redemption and rescue. Yet one must be reminded that it is not without state-of-the-art technology and scientific knowledge, coupled with the sensibilities of a prophetic order, that provides the vision otherwise none ordinary would perceive.
When artists Wang Xieda and Liu Chuyun first came forward with this exhibition, we were left dumbstrucked and moved by their philosophy and aspiration to excavate and bring to light the very depths of human thought. With the ark anchoring its full weight to the title of the exhibition, shall we not insist that it is the intimate relationship between the artist and the Creator that has given form to their almost prophetic faculty? Is it not exactly an ark built through technê and epistêmê, which carries any willing soul aboard to shores beyond? Wang Xieda established his artistic prominence from a lifetime study in the origins of civilization and ancient writing, culminating in the acclaimed sculpture series "Sages' Sayings". Yet despite their well-earned fame at home and abroad, the artist couple did not stake out an aggressive position in the hustle and bustle of the art market. In pursuit of living truths, they had instead experienced a life of seclusion and quietude, submitting themselves in humility to service for the commons. Words may not suffice to describe the bitter hardships they had endured, yet their sacrifice is not without sweet produce for the spirit. To many, the experience of the Wang family-of-three can only perhaps be likened to that lonesome hurdle in the vast sea of oceans, or perhaps to that unyielding search for the dove of branches and olives — of hope itself. It is true stories that touch the living heart, and it is here that we can claim to bear witness to a masterpiece embodied in the life experience of an artist. We invite our dear readers with ears to hear to join our artists in the journey to the deep recesses of the heart, to the wellspring of life in which our souls most desire.
In the wake of the fiery summer of 2022, and with the almost concrete and palpable warming enveloping our globe, please take a second look at our familiar but strange world. Water may still seem to supply hope, yet it is at the very same time fraught with crisis and catastrophe. When pressure from life becomes unbearable and reality turns suffocating, where is the ark in which we may seek refuge? Will we still believe that there can be such an ark? And is it really possible for us to attain new heavens and a new earth, where pain and toil will finally cease? Just as that cherished space with the ancient trees and ageless domiciles, we welcome you to meditate, participate, explore and search together here at the Aman YangYun International Community，together with the old trees and ancient buildings that have the similar experience of redemption.
