Art invariably involves pursuing extremes, especially contemporary art. On this point, artists are more or less agreed. Perhaps what then makes the difference is their degree of ignorance and wisdom. An ignorant pursuit takes the extreme to be some kind of independent object and adopts a direct and rash approach to its attainment. Pursuit by a wise man, on the other hand, simply involves exploring the tension between extremes. A wise artist’s gaze is empty as he dialectically grasps the ultimate from ambiguity. An artist’s careerism and ability lie herein. Should one confront a single extreme or multiple different poles? How far apart do they lie? Being able to manipulate a number of distant extremes is a dream of many artists, but in order to realise such a dream, their ability must be able to follow suit. Trying to control a number of extremes beyond one’s ability can reveal an artist’s greed, and ultimately his ignorance, while multiple extremes being handled within the scope of one’s ability can display an artist’s talent. Such an artist’s work will tend towards consummation.

Mao Yan’s wisdom lies in the fact that he has always worked within the scope of his own ability. Secondly, his ability reaches out to different extremes. One doesn’t want to dwell too much upon Mao Yan’s technique; he has quite simply been blessed. His tendency towards multiple extremes is however an aspect too often neglected.

Mao Yan’s generally recognised change of direction began ten years ago. Only after this did the “Thomas series” appear. This change of direction for Mao Yan was far from being the result of overcoming any kind of crisis, as is the case for so many artists. On the contrary, it came just as he had reached a peak. Both general opinion and indeed the quality of his work at the time are testament to the gradual shining of his career. Everyone was eagerly anticipating his next move, and yet strangely enough, Mao Yan walked away from it all.

Fleeing from fame is something artists should do but so often don’t manage to. Mao Yan managed it. But of course art is not about moral cultivation and Mao Yan’s actions had their own material logic, namely the turn towards another extreme.

The pursuit of another extreme for Mao Yan was certainly not a denial of the other; luckily it’s not as sad and savage that one must die for the other to emerge. He wanted to get as much from it as possible but was wise enough not to rush towards it. There is thus a contrast formed between the “Thomas series” and the “pre-Thomas period” that is filled with powerful tension.

The subjects depicted in “pre-Thomas period” paintings had faint social identities with age-bearing traits and complete, posed compositions. Later, these elements were simplified but the individuality of his works became stronger. Starting with the “Thomas series”, everything that ‘needed mention’ is no longer present. Mao Yan is ‘empty’ and ‘Thomas’ no more than a human shape. The leap from the “pre-Thomas period” to the “Thomas series” was one of ‘substance’ to ‘nothingness’, but this explanation is far from adequate. As far as Mao Yan is concerned, ‘emptiness’ is not ‘empty’ and is not just there as an echo to his pre-Thomas work. There is a distinguished air of elegance and beauty, intellect and artistic efflorescence within the emptiness.

The ‘emptiness’ in the “Thomas series” seems to express that “everything empty is colour”[1]. Trying his utmost to disregard the significant elements of portraiture, the heavy responsibility of colour falls to pure and unadulterated painting. Consequently, Mao Yan is able to display his skills fully because in terms of ability, this work could be no one other than Mao Yan’s and without him it wouldn’t exist.

The “Thomas series” and the “pre-Thomas period” can be contrasted but within the “Thomas series” itself, emptiness and colour set each other off, pushing the work towards the limits. It’s like a revolution of the earth around the sun; both are moving of their own accord. Mao Yan’s artistic universe is extensive, where big and small no longer exist.

An aside: If successful, an artist could very well create a perfect universe within his lifetime. Such a universe wouldn’t care for being large or small, externally magnificent or all-inclusive; it would just need to operate efficiently of its own accord.

Another aside: The logic of an artistic universe is impossible to prepare for, one can only follow what such a universe opens up and presents to us – just like the real world and its respective laws. This is same for both artists and onlookers. Before such a universe opens itself up, artists might have some kind of presentiment, to which they’ll probably add an element of inspiration. Having this tiny bit extra is exactly what they are working towards.

Since the “Thomas series”, Mao Yan has had a presentiment concerning lust[2]. Recent works such as Paris, Paris, Lisa Wearing a Hat, and Kim all feature female subjects. Women are the mark and symbol of lust. Degenerate and tacky women suggest even greater degrees of sexuality. This batch of work is completely different from that of the “Thomas series” and as such creates a strong contrast with it. Consequently, it’s fair to say that Mao Yan has had another change of direction, towards another new extreme. Once again, this is not because his creativity has come to a dead end, on the contrary, it has once again come at the time of a glorious peak. Mao Yan isn’t just striving to distance himself from his previous work, there is a whole new ‘lustful’ world to explore.

In contrast to the popular gaudy artwork of today, Mao Yan doesn’t vulgarise elegant concepts in order for his work to be attractive; it is quite the opposite. He is reworking vulgar subject matter into refined extremes. The more degenerate and tacky the subject, the more superbly refined is the painting, to the point that it becomes tasteful. He has even surprised himself of the classical style and taste of the work. The actual meaning of the ‘lust’ represented has thus become ‘empty’. As such, Mao Yan’s ‘pornography’ is far from being pornographic. It is empty, devoid of meaning, unreal, and transcendent. It’s true meaning lies in the depiction of the Buddhist saying, “everything with colour is empty.”

From ‘substance’ to ‘nothingness’, from “everything empty is colour” to “everything with colour is empty”, Mao Yan’s art displays movement towards multiple poles. Mao Yan constructs a formidable balance between the different extremes, revealing the endless tension between them. Following his intuition and presentiments, Mao Yan ultimately finds himself on a dialectical path.

I would finally like to add that good artists are inherently all masters of dialectics.