Description:

This project explored how the Song Dynasty principle of [诗中有画，画中有诗] ‘painting in poetry and poetry in painting’ might be used to communicate the dreams of ‘a solo traveler’. The concept of the solo traveller is a positive reframing of the contemporary, derogatory Chinese construct of the ‘Leftover Woman’. In China, these women are a marginalised group that have become persecuted as a consequence of changing values in the nation’s economic and social structure.

The project involved the design of seven watercolour poems that were printed on silk. These constituted the quiet dreams of a ‘left-over woman’. Each of these dreams reflected on the na-ture and context of love and aspiration. The designs became the subtle voice of opposition.

The catalogue that accompanied the exhibition was also quiet. It contained translations of each poem, a discussion of the artwork with which it is integrated - and a brief outline of the think-ing behind each dream. The design drew its inspiration from an ancient Chinese Buddhist binding technique called sutra-folding. Within the catalogue, rhythm, emphasis and pause are created using white space. The design did not use glue, instead, the signatures were subtly sewn into place with black silk thread.

By printing the poems and watercolour paintings on silk I was drawing an association with women and tradition - but using the references to question contemporary political pressure. Instead of loud social media protest, the project created dreams that elevated women’s self-determination. These dreams of an alternative - and better future were printed onto silk and suspended as thoughts in a quiet, darkened space.

The intimacy between poetry and painting resides in quietness. In quietness the viewer touch-es the silk, and when touched, images and poems move. In Chinese thought, silence can be understood as a positive phenomenon that gives expression without the use of spoken words. The idea of a fertile, silent space is a fundamental tenet of Chinese Taoism. Inside a quietened state these designs suggest that watching and listening become participatory activities, a form of opposition and a type of meditation.

The proportion and spatial treatment of the works inside an exhibition space can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/VYwZt8EMD1U