Lotus and Herons 1984

Huang Yongyu made "Lotus and Herons" using brush and ink to capture the quiet beauty of nature. It’s all about process here; the soft washes create a sense of depth, while the dark, expressive strokes form a dynamic contrast, like a dance on paper. Look at the texture of the lotus petals. The paint is applied with such freedom, almost raw, and yet there’s a delicate balance. Notice how the white of the herons seems to emerge from the misty background, their forms defined by subtle variations in tone. It’s the kind of painting where you can feel the artist’s hand moving across the surface, each mark carrying its own energy. Yongyu reminds me of Joan Mitchell, with his bold gestural marks and the way he allows the paint to speak for itself. Neither cared much for perfection, embracing the messiness and unpredictability that make art so alive. And, like all great art, this piece invites us to linger, to imagine, and to find our own meaning within its fluid forms.