Grand Visionary Transformation of Hevajra

Zheng Guogu’s studies of ‘qi’ inform his visually striking paintings from the ‘Visionary Transformation’ series – ‘qi’ being the fundamental life force or energy flow of traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts. Zheng’s paintings feature geometric and iconographic elements derived from Tibetan Buddhist ‘thangka’ painting, but are distinguished by their searing colour scheme of synthetic-looking hues and layered imagery. The series exploits what the artist describes as the ‘classic multimedia power’ of ‘thangka’, and its capacity to act on a spiritual and even physical level.

To create these works, Zheng combines several visual elements using a computer and prints the composite image onto canvas, which he then overpaints with oils by hand. The artist ensures an even greater visual intensity through the painstaking application of small globules of paint using syringes, a method that constructs the image as an arrangement of cells and overlaid patterns, generating vigorous optical effects. Zheng uses these techniques as he believes their visual frequencies correspond to the rhythms of the body’s meridian system – the path through which ‘qi’ flows.

Exhibited in 'The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' (APT9) | 24 Nov 2018 – 28 Apr 2019