AS IF ENLIGHTENED FROM INSIDE -
The Chinese photo-artist Wang Wusheng
conquers the West in Vienna
Ariane Kiechle (München/ Germany)
The media did not report much about it and even in Vienna there were only signboards to this hidden treasury in Palais (Palace) Harrach! The exhibition “Celestial Mountains”seemed to be only for those insiders, who knew about it or happened to have found the way to it. The simultaneous Henry-Moore-exhibition nearby seemed to be of more importance. But the visitors did not agree with that, as the impressive full guest-book shows!
Entering the exhibition rooms on the 2nd floor of the old palace you immediately feel transferred to a different world, far away from the noise and the hustle and bustle of the metropolis in summer.In twilight the visitors are surrounded by wildly ragged mountain summits, beneath of which waving seas of fog at times set free the bizarre silhouettes of crooked wind-swept ruffled pine-trees.Only mountains, sky and clouds - as in old Chinese ink-drawings. But these are no ink-drawings, but huge-sized photos of a special kind, which create a graphic three-dimensional and transparent picture ,as if illuminated from inside. The viewer at once is fascinated by this special magic charm, which opens all senses and makes them susceptible to the vibrations of “Qi”, that energy, which flows through the whole universe, according to ancient Chinese philosophy. It takes so much possession of the spectator, that he can hardly free himself from that charm and falls into a sort of ecstasy and meditation at the same time.
By using black-and-white-photography the artist intentionally does without any colours - here only the elements themselves are floating in this eternal movement and changing.The Huang-Shan-Mountains in Southern China are represented, which have been ever estimated? there as the most picturesque and mysterious mountains of the whole country and which have again and again attracted innumerable painters for more than two thousand years.Thousands of steps lead up to them, until one is so far off from the world, that the restless Self is plunged into the Great Silence and Contemplation and experiences a total metamorphosis.This state of being removed is to release us from all ephemera and create a process of mystic transformation and enlightenment, in which man becomes part of the eternity of the Universe.
That this actually happens, is proved by countless enthusiastic comments in the Guest-Book:
“a quite different China!” - “and it (art) really stirs us !” - “The photography looks like painted pictures” - “fascinating, overwhelming, impressive, stunning, magnificent, soul shaking, great, glorious, dreamlike beauty!” - “deeply moved! Calligraphy of Gods!” - “this brightness and calmness!” - “totally absorbed, charmed, bewitched!” - “moments of eternity, photographed as if painted. Eternity drifts slowly, softly, yet irresistibly ceaselessly flows through our daily chores and hectic lives” - “these pictures help me dream” - “A journey of exploration of the innermost self” -“overwhelmed by so much serenity, beauty and brightness” - “the dream goes on ” - “one of the most beautiful exhibitions I have ever seen” - “the pictures create aspiration, calmness and hope” - “a real refreshment in this crazy time of ours!”- “a wonderful discovery!” - “these photos help me to understand the philosophy of Taoism” - “totally super mystic! All somehow, as if one is looking for the sense of life” - “cool!” - “such an exhibition stimulates me to create poems!”
“The <Qi>(“spirit”) of the mountains fill the entire exhibition halls. It makes me quiet and breathe more freely. A push of energy, which gives new impulses and activates my power. Wow! Nevertheless: an air-condition would be a hit!” (it was about 30 degrees C outside...!).
“Today I’ve come here, because I didn’t like to go to school. But it is so wonderful here! I have been influenced by all that so. Many photos are exposed here. And I am a human being and walk around enjoying them. This is eternal!”
(following text originally in English:)“Entering the exhibition, I felt as if entering a sanctuary.I had difficulties to go from one picture to the other, each of them compelling such a strong feeling of harmony, you had no desire to move on, and finally, when I left it, I felt like after an hour of meditation. I wish it could be possible more often to combine modern civilization with ancient philosophy as you managed so perfectly well with your art."-
"You have afforded me a better appreciation of the beauty and peaceful influence of Chinese landscape. You made me quite cheerful today!" -
Even professional photographers confirm without jealousy their admiration. So a photographer of 76, who himself has travelled? far and experimented with black-and-white-photography, confesses: “never seen something beautiful like that!”
This kind of unique exhibition, presented by the Museum of Fine Arts Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien) in Palais Harrach unfortunately closes this weekend, on August 9th 1998, and then probably returns to Japan, where Wang Wusheng is living and from where he has been supported by a refined technical know-how.
Rudyard Kipling′s 19th century statement “east is east and west is west and never the both shall meet” has fortunately been overcome nowadays, as the reception of this exhibition , which is so much inspired by the Far East proves. More visitors would have deserved to enjoy this event, as especially today in our materialistic civilization, that is largely dominated by technology, the longing for more spirituality is increasing even in Western countries. And also the longing for more beauty, despite Hubert Reads quotation in the Moore-exhibition next door, reading that Modern Art has left behind this ideal of beauty. No doubts - but the longing for it continues to exist!
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