“Light Within” is a citation from Han officer and scholar Cui Yuan (78-143)’s Zou you ming (motto): “Remain untainted among the grime; the light contained within darkness.” In essence, it means that people with real talents and virtues are humble and reserved, and seek only inner fulfilment instead of outward vanity — a reflection of what the artist admires and wishes to pursue in life.
Yuan Jai: Light Within focuses on Yuan Jai’s recent painting practices, from 2018 to 2020, to explore how she revives the potential of Chinese ink painting by continuously positioning the narrative within the relationship between the individual and history. Only by locating these narratives within continuous—rather than fragmented—cultural processes can the artist enter the realm of life philosophy through the composition of a painting.
