As an artist, Yan Bo observes every detail of life and this is clearly evident from his paintings.  He observes with his eyes, but without engaging his reason. While modern society brings us a great sense of happiness, it can also numb our senses. This numbness is caused by subjecting our senses to the barrage of virtual images created by various media.  We have forgotten to see life itself with our own eyes. The development of modern technology and the proliferation of virtual images have made modern people disillusioned. Guided by this state of disillusion individuals become the centre of reality. As an individual, man seems able to query, judge and adjudicate upon all the problems of the world. We can say that the dwindling of real sensations and the inflation of self-awareness are twins brought up by modernism.
　　More over, the change of modern life has given rise to an odd trend in contemporary art, namely a peculiar impulsion for "novelty" Modernism has given birth to a style of contemporary art that yearns for action, innovation, excitement and sensationalism.  This trend has driven artists to constantly be on the lookout for new images and media, to create art from social taboos or by over embellishment. Art has gradually become the "Olympic Games" of images, media and social taboos, and has moved further and further away from the functions society wants art to undertake. Taking these two points into consideration, we will find that many aspects of Yan Bo's art can help us understand down-to-earth life itself.
　　Yan Bo's paintings are unsophisticated. Everything relating to young life is presented in his works, such as sunshine and plants, love and games, friends and pets, etc. These things also exist in our lives too, yet we seldom look at them this way. This young artist always depicts life and the things around him with a passion; even the melancholy of love has been given a beautiful crown. There is humor, too, and sincere happiness, yet this kind happiness features only rarely in our "game's of art" Viewed from this respect, Yan Bo's art is closer to art itself, i.e. his paintings do not provide us with a judgment, but with a vision and a perspective. With this vision and perspective, we are instantly able to transcend a life full of worldly restrictions. Yan Bo uses techniques of Fauvism and Expressionism, however, the feelings of tragedy and pain have been left out. Looking at his pictures the bright light and pure dense colours emanating from them give us the impression of standing in brilliant sunshine.
 Yan Bo's paintings are happy. Artists can always find their own happiness in everyday life. If we say that Yan Bo's paintings not only convey this happiness, but also convey the vision that enables man to obtain this happiness, then what we get from them is not merely a pleasant visual experience, but also the exaltation of the communication of souls. This exaltation is an unsophisticated happiness; it can transcend the restrictions of so-called concepts, and find its way directly to our soul via our eyes. 　　
　　Therefore, the significance of these works goes far beyond form and beauty. Yan Bo's works also challenge some of our prejudices about "abused" contemporary art. These works prove to viewers that not only works reflecting suffering possess a certain strength and personality. For Yan Bo, happiness is also full of strength and individuality. Basically speaking, artists engage themselves in art because they wish to transcend the hard life and want to acquire some happiness through art, and not because they want to use it as a kind of weapon. Viewed from this aspect, the nature of art revolves around happiness.  Sometimes this happiness is created by transcending life, sometimes happiness is happiness itself. Regarding its capacity to influence the soul, the strength of these two types of happiness is remarkably similar. However, Yan Bo's works seem to be more inclined to express the latter more direct happiness. Therefore, happiness and simplicity are merged into one in Yan Bo's works.
　　For a painter, there are lots of ways to convey this happiness. The first factor that deserves our attention is the painter's vision. A striking feature of Yan Bo's work is his "zoomed in" perspective. These works all have a very close visual point, which draws the viewer's vision up close to the object. We all seem to be "bending and watching" very closely like him. During this watching process, a foot of a table or a leaf of tea will become the object the painter wants to share with us. We, as viewers, like the painter, begin to be absorbed by the object, and by life itself. The second factor that deserves our attention is that along with this viewing process, the details of the scene begin to exude a certain strength in themselves. What the artist wants to express is conveyed through the details of the object in the picture. Different details are like different words. The artist has placed the words there, and it is the job of the viewer to make the words into sentences. In Yan Bo's painting, details are life itself. He conveys the happiness of life through life itself, not by imposing certain concepts upon us with grand scenes and illusions. The display and perspective of the details is a unique feature of Yan Bo's paintings, and something long lost in contemporary art too. The display and perspective of details leads to the third feature of Yan Bo's painting, namely the unique narrative feature. In his works, the narrative feature is a crucial link, and also the reason why these works can move us. This narrative feature is not a dramatic narration, but "parts of a narration" consisting of numerous details. It's a narration that eludes meaning. As it eludes meaning, we seem to catch our breath, and then happiness is able to emerge. What is important is that the artist has concealed his thoughts in these works. He becomes the captor of images, capturing the details of life that are likely to be neglected, placing them in front of the viewer and at the same time giving us the opportunity to combine the details. We are then like children with toy bricks, enjoying the fun of construction while also appreciating. When we look at Yan Bo's paintings, we find that we are making up stories for ourselves, and the painter has left without being noticed having provided us with the various materials, leaving us to enjoy like him the happiness of a creation that can never be disturbed.
　　Yan Bo's paintings are attractive not because of the language of form, but because of the painter's honesty and compassion. Nowadays we are overwhelmed by desires and overburdened with meanings - it takes a lot of courage to return to reality and happiness. Perhaps the feelings of honesty and compassion that are conveyed in Yan Bo's paintings can enable us to regain our own strength, help us to experience real sensations and let us keep a true sense of our own identity, and thereby find our own peace in these difficult times.

作者：Pi,Li