Love in Fangzhuang 2002

Wu Guanzhong made "Love in Fangzhuang" with paint, and well, love. Look at those vertical strokes of blended greens and yellows – they're like the essence of a willow tree distilled. It's all about the process here, isn't it? The lower half is where the party's at. Chunks of color, red, black, white, and pink all jostle for space. It’s kind of like a mosaic, but with this super juicy, painterly vibe. The way these shapes just sit there, refusing to blend perfectly, is really what gives the piece its energy. There’s this one spot near the bottom left where the brushstrokes are thick, almost sculptural. It makes me think of Joan Mitchell, but maybe that's just me seeing kindred spirits in the way Wu lets his feelings kind of splatter onto the canvas. It’s not about perfection. It's about embracing the mess, the ambiguity.