Thinking Three Times 

Editor: This ink and watercolor work is called "Thinking Three Times," created by Lin Fengmian. The muted palette and the simplified forms of the birds give it a sense of serenity, but there’s also something stark about the bareness of the landscape. How do you read this piece? Curator: As a materialist, I'm immediately drawn to the processes evident here. Look at the brushstrokes – the artist's labor is right there on the surface, dictating the form. The quick, decisive application of ink for the reeds versus the more layered watercolor washes in the sky; each reveals a different stage and intention in its making. How does this differential application affect the hierarchy we might typically see in a landscape, foreground versus background? Editor: I hadn't considered the "labor" aspect of it before. It seems to disrupt any sense of depth or perspective… Curator: Precisely. The very act of painting becomes the subject. Traditional Chinese landscape painting often emphasizes depth and the viewer's place within the vastness of nature. But here, that's flattened, reduced. What do you think that flattening signifies within a possibly broader cultural context? Perhaps a move away from those conventions? Editor: Maybe. By emphasizing the materials, ink and water, and the gesture, the *doing* of painting, he seems to de-emphasize the spiritual weight usually attributed to landscape art, focusing more on… well, the physicality of creation? Curator: Exactly. Consider also how the readily available, mass-produced nature of ink and watercolor democratizes artmaking itself, compared to the more rarefied traditions. Is Fengmian making a statement about the accessibility of art, its production and consumption within the social sphere? Editor: That's fascinating. I had only thought of it in terms of composition, but thinking about the *materials* and *processes* used definitely opens up a completely new perspective. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, seeing art through the lens of its production transforms our understanding. A fresh perspective for us both.