THE MOON Series / The Microcosm Series

2012 - 2024

In the artistic repertoire of Wang Yuyang, motifs and imagery associated with the celestial body known as THE MOON make frequent and poetic appearances. In this particular series, the artist has woven an intangible narrative, employing the moon as a metaphorical thread to question and introspect upon the tangible world. The moon transcends its role as a mere natural phenomenon; it is also a cultural emblem, weaving through childhood fantasies with tales such as Chang’e Flying to the Moon. Yet, the stark reality captured in lunar photographs has prompted the artist to ponder the chasm between perceived beauty and stark reality. Thus, Wang Yuyang, adorned with video glasses equipped with a camera, sets out to illustrate the moon, with the device relaying monochrome imagery. In a void devoid of color, the artist selects hues intuitively, only to unveil the capricious palette of the lunar canvas once the glasses are removed. The choice and its outcome, though originating from a single mind, are unpredictably intertwined, with the essence of artistic beauty residing in its inherent unpredictability. Wang Yuyang’s moon symbolizes the vastness of the macrocosm, yet he does not neglect the nuances of the microcosm. The genuine depictions of microorganisms under microscopic scrutiny are typically monochromatic, a departure from the artificially enhanced colors prevalent online. These artificial hues, akin to a coloring book activity within demarcated boundaries, contrast with the organic randomness inherent in the creation of this artwork. The work’s genesis mirrors that of THE MOON series, where arbitrary coloration permits the gesture’s unconscious directional quality to persist, unaltered by the subjective whims of human desire, reverting to a state of cognitive fluidity. The artist’s underlying ambition in crafting these series is to challenge our deeply ingrained perceptions: what we perceive from the moon above to the microorganisms beneath may not align with our experiential narratives. Instead, a vibrant, multi-hued moon and paramecium that transcend human comprehension might reveal their authentic hues.

THE MOON 20230808
Type: Painting
Materials: oil on canvas
Dimensions: H 199 x L 150cm

THE MOON 20240614
Type: Painting
Materials: oil on canvas
Dimensions: H 159 x L 161cm

Microcosm 20240112
Type: Painting
Materials: oil on canvas
Dimensions: H 179 x L 182cm

Microcosm 20240611
Type: Painting
Materials: oil on canvas
Dimensions: H 180x L 120cm