Dwelling in Nonattachment, Let the Mind Arise— Poetic Expressions in Women’s Art
I have named this exhibition “Poetry” not as a so-called “literary” appeal, but rather to explore the poetic expressions in women’s art that are rooted in the everyday yet transcend the ordinary.
Daily life is nothing more than the social and natural environments. The relationship between human emotions and spiritual desires and these two environments is dynamic and complex, interdependent, mutually restrictive, and mutually influential. This complexity gives rise to the possibilities and sense of existence in human life. How one perceives the relationship between oneself and the environment depends on each individual’s understanding of life and their state of existence.
There is a famous saying in the Diamond Sutra that goes, “Dwelling in Nonattachment, Let the Mind Arise” This means that one should not cling to any external things or phenomena—such as sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touchs, and mental objects（the “six dusts”)—the mind remains unbound, clear, and free. With this mindset, one can face all aspects of life with ease, discovering beauty even in the most mundane and ordinary moments.
The artists and works I’ve chosen for this exhibition capture the most delicate and intuitive sensibilities of women, expressing themselves through pure and poetic forms. The innermost, nuanced, and authentic emotional states of women are depicted while the relationship between humans, reality, and nature is explored.
Text / Liao Wen