Writing 2005

Zhang Xiaogang made this intriguing painting called Writing with oils on canvas. There's a very surreal feeling here - from the oversized bright red hand to the floating lightbulb. It's like a dream logic is at play. I'm immediately curious about the story behind it. Was Zhang thinking about the physical act of writing, that connection between the hand and the mind? Look at the way the hand dominates the scene, so present, and rendered with such attention to detail. The lines of text in the notebook feel much more gestural and free. And that light bulb! I can’t help but see a metaphor there, for the flash of inspiration. You know, those moments of clarity that come when you’re lost in thought, trying to find the right words. All kinds of painters deal with that moment! It's what we all chase, in our own way.