A Reflection on a Blossom in Autumn
Theme and Variations: In the small series today the delicate image of a fading blossom takes center stage, offering an allusion to the graceful aging of a young lady. While an autumn subject might traditionally invite warm, vibrant colors, the pieces presented here downplay color, instead focusing on subtler elements.
What is the essence of today’s exploration? It is an artistic challenge, or rather a disciplined practice, to transform a simple subject with these guiding principles:
- Focus solely on a minimalistic theme or detail.
- Gradually reduce elements during the creative process to reach the essence.
- Avoid the pursuit of superficial beauty or common aesthetic appeal.
- Seek a deeper, spiritual beauty that transcends conventional expectations.
By stripping away distractions, we are confronted with the need to add something meaningful in place of what is lost, ensuring the work doesn’t dissolve into insignificance.
Approach to the Theme and Variations
I revisited a theme I explored not long ago in a previous article [Visit of the old Zen Master and other Nonzens] with an image of a graying flower in an unkempt Zen garden. While there are multiple layers to this concept, focusing too much on them here would dilute the message.
At the heart of this approach lies the idea of reduction—revealing only what is necessary. So, how do we reduce even further? By stripping away everything that doesn’t serve the core message. The first task, therefore, is to define that central theme. In this case, the story unfolds like this—a familiar tale for many: A young woman, once consumed by her beauty, never found anyone worthy of it. Now, in the late autumn of her life, she lies withered on the ground, providing delight to the beetles and ants.
Theme and Variations – Removing and Adding
When we take something away, we must also add something meaningful in return to avoid emptiness. In shaping this simple story, we’ve already added a layer of depth, even if it may not be immediately apparent without explanation. From here, I can further evolve this “story” into a poem, adding a layer of poetry to the artistic process.
I chose to write the poem in Chinese to give the work a classical tone, but also to allow for greater freedom in composition. Through this, the balance between reduction and addition is restored within the overall piece.
驕傲的綻放未被觸及的落下，
秋天的泥土，她的安息之地，
螞蟻和甲蟲歡呼。
Adding a Poetry Aspect
In a final step, I reduced the poem even more—transforming it into a semi-haiku, preserving its essence while embracing simplicity.
Semi-Haiku:
Proud bloom, fallen low,
Autumn’s gift for creatures small,
Nature’s gentle touch.
Theme and Variations in a Musical Context
Finally, and to explain the title of this article, I have tried to introduce music into the process. I recently wrote an article on this topic as well. [Can We Hear a Painting?]
As mentioned earlier, Johann Sebastian Bach holds a special place in my work, so I approached this variation process much like a classical musician would with seemingly simple variations on a theme.
Naturally, the question arises: Can this theme be further developed? Absolutely. Can I continue to reduce the elements and reach a higher level of expression? That is certainly possible, but it will require a longer phase of reflection. As we all know, it’s often beneficial to set projects aside for a while, allowing them (or better, us) to mature before revisiting them with fresh eyes and new insights.
Note:
To avoid any potential misunderstandings, I want to clarify that all of my works, unless specifically noted otherwise, are hand-painted. Most pieces are created using ink or mixed media. When an image like the one below appears in my articles, it means that the graphic itself was hand-painted by me but is displayed in a virtual setting—a space crafted with the help of a graphics program.
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