The struggle to perfection – the paintings by Lo Chan Peng
Pan An-Yi, Director of Graduate Stdies, The department of the History of Art & Visual Studies, Cornell University
Historic Figures provide concrete clarification to A Brief History of Time and showcase the artist’s perspective and philosophical approaches to the history of humanity. The historical personae he has selected narrate the progress from “godliness” to the “Theory of Evolution” followed by “Anthropocentrism” and “Eurocentrism” before the expansion of Imperialism and Capitalism which then led to Colonialism and eventually the rise of “Socialism”. The “Nazism” of World War II in Europe and “Japanese Imperialism” caused the unprecedented disaster. Skrik from the Portraiture collection shows Lo’s concerns over the working class whom reiterated their mindless tasks in order to survive: “I think I now have a better understanding of this world and have realised how helpless I am in this vast universe.”
Lo tactfully chooses to paint former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American president Abraham Lincoln as a contrast and comparison. Churchill fought against the invasion of Nazism, even though he succeeded with the help of allies, the rise of Neo-Nazism and extreme right-wing supporters in recent years are slowly gaining advocates in Europe. The current president of the United States Donald Trump sees himself as a pioneer like Lincoln, yet his deep-rooted racism has encouraged the believers of extreme right-wing philosophy and white supremacy. Despite his defeat in the recent presidential election, the issues regarding extreme right-wing supporters in Europe and America would remain a challenging one. Both Churchill and Lincoln reflect on the bight and the good of humanity, and they are praised for their reminding us of the dark side of humanity.
Through Portraiture, Lo explores the struggles men encounter on their path to the godliness. The female sitter and plants stand for the friction between temptation and the sacred, which then lead to the nuanced relationship between “consciousness” and “the ability to define good and evil”, meaning the connection between the “mortal” and the “saintly” .
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