Sanzi: The Way of Tao
逍遥行
The best translation for this idea may be “a state of free wandering in life”, but it doesn’t even portray a third of what this concept is about. What is free? Taoism thinks that absolute freedom is also based on restrictions of our reality, even our emotions, but to be truly free of such things, doesn’t make us seek things outside of this world, or fall into a state of occultism. More importantly, we are simply doing the best we are able, based on the reality we believe to be true, and live out that livestyle. That is the state of Xiao Yao (逍遥).
Taoism is a religion with multiple deities, which means that there’s not one true God among the superior existence. The word “散” （San), also refers to the untitled deities amongst men. The ones spreading the world of God, but living among the beings.
Relating back to his blue-collar background, in many ways, this is precisely the kind of ideology Mr. Sanzi seeks to spread amongst us, and that is to define our own reality and act accordingly, be the master of our own action, but most importantly, be just, the best we can.
And, that is also, the way of Tao.
⼈类在⽇常的⽣存中，早已总结了如何与⾃然和睦相处的经验，这便是哲学。绘画发展到今天，也早已不是起初⽬的和功能，因此，好的画家⼀般都有⾃⼰的哲学观，即世界观，如此，才能创作出好的作品。初见散⼦的作品，会被它宏伟壮阔的⾃然景观所吸引，也会对画⾯中所出现的“⼩⼈物”产⽣好奇，他们是男是⼥都不重要，重要的是⼩⼈物的⽼少和神态，之所以有⽼少，当然是道的规律所⾄，⾃然界的万事、万物、万象，都同时存在着 阴阳两个⽅⾯。它们虽对⽴又互相统⼀，变化之中⽽⽣成万物。然⽽细细品味散⼦的画， 每次的收获又有新的不同。散⼦把这些“道”全部都表现在了他的画布上。他融合西⽅的雕 塑与中国的⽔墨画，每⼀幅都以⾏云流⽔的技法来承载着“道法⾃然”。
About Techniques
Sanzi is definitely one of the more unique artists of our generation in terms of the technique he uses in his painting. Oil painting was a relatively new concept in China back in the 60s, but Sanzi was trained in this field through an academic background. A key element in Sanzi’s progression as an artist is how he got to travel the world and took on different styles, ultimately blending them into his own style.
For example, Sanzi uses elements of traditional painting techniques such as charcoal and ink on paper to create a different gradient to the color gray, similar to that of Chinese water-color. Compared to the oil-based paint, Chinese water-color painting uses a water-based paint to create more of a blending effect, which is clearly shown in many of the smaller scale paintings of this collection.
After first visiting the US in the late 70s, Sanzi started to explore more techniques related to postmodern art. Andy Warhol is among the artists that had a personal influence on Sanzi. However, despite his immense admiration for the expressive nature of postmodern artists, Sanzi also feels that there’s a level of craftsmanship missing in today’s art world. Tradition, and the importance of legacy, all as part of the Tao, is also that Sanzi tries to emphasize with the blending of techniques in his work.