Capturing a monk's vision

Shi Dachan, monk and painter [Photo/China Daily]

Shi says he has been enormously influenced by Mi Fu, the renowned Song Dynasty (960-1279) painter, whose highly personal style of misty landscapes gained him prominence in art history.

Shi adds that he came to truly understand Mi's art philosophy on one rainy night years ago. He was in a car and captivated by the scenes outside the window.

"Where the car lights lit up, I could see the threads of rain pouring down to the road at varied angles because of the force of wind. It formed a mini landscape with peculiar beauty, which I'd never noticed before.

"I said to myself: Isn't this what the Mi style is all about?" he says.

Shi embeds his unbonded strokes with an integrated power he absorbs from the mountains, trees and lakes - the surroundings that are part of his daily practices at the temple and while traveling.

He revisits the subject of the lotus, a symbol of Buddhism, in his paintings. He drew in simple lines and filled with vivid colors. And he infuses the visual elements of Buddhist figurines and prayer beads to create an unconventional image of the lotus. He hence presents a final touch of spirituality and luminosity.

"Shi's imagery of the lotus doesn't belong to the natural world but to the land of the Buddha. The painter has advanced further to simply portray the landscapes of the human world. He shows a sacred ground of purity and wisdom," notes art critic Jia Fangzhou.

Surprisingly, Shi says he also finds inspiration in Bach's music, which he first heard at a friend's house. The stereo played many musical pieces and he was simply astounded by Bach.

"I felt the same respect for truth in Bach's compositions and in Mi's paintings. It then interests me whether I could translate the infinite power of his musical notes into the context of ink and water."

He has invited the exhibition's viewers to critique his paintings.