As Fleeting as Dew and Lightning

June 26 - July 7

Kexuan Zhao’s solo exhibition

We are pleased to announce Kexuan Zhao’s solo exhibition, As Fleeting as Dew and Lightning, opening this Thursday, June 26. Through her unique Gu Cai paintings, Kexuan explores the quiet violence and transformative beauty of change, from resistance to acceptance, from fire to ash to light.

🗓️ Exhibition: June 26 – July 6
🎉 Opening Reception: June 26, 7–9 PM
📍Flowing Space, 16 Clinton Street, NY

“All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows—like dew and lightning.”

For further information and inquiries, please contact:
flowingessencespace@gmail.com and cc zchen.art@gmail.com

Genesis of the Divide- Part 1
Digital Art
23.7*23.7cm
2024

Genesis of the Divide- Part 2
Digital Art
23.7*23.7cm
2024

Kexuan Zhao's artwork primarily revolves around imagery and the transformations of all things in the world. Her works contain many Chinese elements, imagery, and conceptual frameworks, though these emerge naturally from her cultural upbringing rather than through deliberate intention. Through the perspective of a modern Chinese youth, she attempts to present the spiritual essence of Chinese culture within a contemporary context. For her, Eastern imagery is the ultimate destination of her expression. However, having lived in the United States for an extended period, her work is also inspired by Western narratives. She believes concepts and stories transcend national boundaries, and these cultures collectively shape more eternal connections between people.

The concept of "change" runs through all her work. Kexuan draws inspiration from her life philosophy—the four-character verse from the Diamond Sutra: "All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; like dew and lightning." The momentary changes and uncertainties of all worldly phenomena have shaped her way of perceiving things. She believes change implies conflict and adaptation, creation and reconstruction, and the essential nature of life that humans must face. Human nature often tends to avoid conflict, so even minor changes can potentially trigger difficulties. These difficulties range from the bloody, smoke-filled wars at their extreme to the intermittent collapse of the human spiritual world in daily life. Through the concept of "change," she explores how humans rebuild vitality after facing adversity and how they respond to the possibilities of "change."

Kexuan primarily works with Gu Cai (古彩), a medium very similar to watercolor, though there isn't a specific professional term for it in English. Particularly in the American context, most people conflate Gu Cai with watercolor. The texture of Gu Cai lies between gouache and watercolor—works created with Gu Cai lack the transparency and brightness of watercolor but don't have watercolor's strong coverage, thus imparting a unique historical quality to the artwork. In Kexuan's works, the most frequently appearing element is "fire." She depicts flames in various forms, with fire representing her attitude toward "change" at different stages. She has evolved from initially resisting change and thus being cynical, to later realizing that the birth and demise of life and thought follow certain patterns and laws. The human experience and awareness of change stem from inner projections of the self, and the pain brought by change originates from narcissism. Her creative journey has gradually moved toward a more peaceful and inclusive attitude.