Perhaps inspired by watching the first season of Rome on DVD, Jia returned to classical sculpture in this painting, whose title hints at the mysteries of the feminine cults of the Roman and Greek world. Jia was fascinated by an exhibition she saw at the Colosseum in Rome on the Dionysian and Mithraic rites and secret cults of ancient Rome, many of them exclusively perpetuated by women. Classical art began appearing in her mixed media work as early as 1987. The sculpture in the foreground was seen in Italy in 2005. The neoclassical sculpture in the background is featured at the Huntington Library collection in Los Angeles. We do know Jia keeps the History Channel on in the studio while she works and the oracle of Delphi has been mentioned in several recent documentaries, so we think that's what she had in mind. This is the last of the new large paintings for the Sedona exhibition. We hope you'll be able to join us there on Memorial Day weekend.
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What Jia's reading
Mitch Albom: Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
I've just started reading this simple book: it's easy to read and understand.- Yang Zhijun: Tibetan Hound [Zang Ao]
The author thinks wolves are like selfish, devious and violent, but the Tibetan hound is loyal, elegant, brave and proud. - Jiang Rong: Wolf Totem [Lang Tuteng]
This is the true-life story of a man who went to live with wolves in the Mongolian steppes, and like Dances with Wolves, he comes to appreciate the native Mongolian relationship with nature as the shortcomings of Han Chinese culture become more apparent.
What Geoffrey's reading
Andrew Hussey: Paris: The Secret History
This is soft, anecdotal history without hard facts or convincing arguments, but it's still a fun read. Influenced by the History Channel and London: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd, it features the unwashed, licentious and satanic elements of Parisian society.Thomas Gordon Smith: Vitruvius on Architecture
This is a beautiful edition of a text I've always had in the inexpensive Dover version, but have never taken time to read. It is the bible of classical architecture, the Roman source and inspiration for all Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque styles to follow. Smith has done a wonderful job of annotating and illustrating the text with original diagrams and numerous photographs.Richard Phillips Feynman: The Pleasure of Finding Things Out and the Meaning of It All
Our son has been admitted to California Institute of Technology, so I have begun to read about one of his heroes, the late Caltech professor of physics Richard Feynman, who was ever ready to admit his own ignorance and his belief that healthy science is based on an acceptance of doubt. This is an enlightening read.W. Allyn Rickett: Guanzi
Masterful translation of the classic Chinese book on statecraft and economic management, begun in the 3rd Century BC in the state of Qi (Shandong today).- Ben Okri: Songs of Enchantment
Simply one of the most evocative writers in English today. Ben Okri won the 1991 Booker Prize for The Famished Road. This continues the story of a boy torn between this world and the world of spirits. Connie Willis: To Say Nothing of the Dog : How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last
Fun blend of time travel scifi, costume drama and romance. A summer read recommneded by Book LustMargaret Atwood: The Robber Bride
Takes me back to the Toronto of my tender years.
December 2008
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May 22, 2007
May 18, 2007
Aurora
Another new painting ready for the upcoming exhibition in Sedona. Aurora suggests to us powerful energies emanating from the earth and a complete abandonment to the forces of nature. Jia says she's too busy to comment - she has another large painting and four more small works to complete before the end of next week.
May 15, 2007
Dream
Because she paints several canvases at the same time, Jia usually finishes numerous works in quick succession. Dream is now complete, inspired partly by dreams of being a tiny creature surrounded by enormous lotus leaves, and partly by the designs Jia has created for her Las Vegas show Transcendance. In spite of her realism, there has always been a gentle tendency toward fantasy in Jia's work. This is a perfect example, a surreal environment and a haunting, unreal subject that exists outside ordinary time or space.
May 13, 2007
Eye of Horus
Just finished! We have just finished scanning this 36 x 36 inch painting for Jia's upcoming exhibition at Visions Fine Art Gallery (May 26-27). The title of the painting, Eye of Horus, refers to the symbol the model is painting on her chest. Jia has been reading world mythology and was impressed by the apparent similarities with Asian symbols. The Eye of Horus, also known as a wedjat or udjat, is a charm frequently seen in Egyptian and later art. According to About.com:
Together, the eyes represent the whole of the universe, a concept similar to that of the Taoist Yin-yang symbol. Spiritually, the right eye reflects solar, masculine energy, as well as reason and mathematics. The left eye reflects fluid, feminine, lunar energy, and rules intuition and magick. Together, they represent the combined, transcendent power of Horus.
The Eye of Horus was believed to have healing and protective power, and it was used as a protective amulet, and as a medical measuring device, using the mathematical proportions of the eye to determine the proportions of ingredients in medical preparations) to prepare medications.
This isn't the first time Jia has used Egyptian settings. Ancient Days, Aida, Egyptian Goddess and Egyptian Song are other examples. In this painting, Jia wanted to capture the quality of light one might see when taking refuge from the burning sun in a cool, dark cave. Caves, symbols, mystery - elements we love in her work.
