ZIYUN XUN | IMPERMANENCE

ZIYUN XUN | IMPERMANENCE

January 3 – January 27, 2024
Artist-Attended Opening Reception: Saturday, January 6, 1-3 p.m.
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To describe her creative approach, Ziyun Xun often cites Eastern philosophy, quoting the Buddha: “All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew or a flash of lightning. Thus, we shall perceive them.” Xun applies this concept of the “illusory visual” to generate feelings of impermanence for viewers; here, the more oblique the viewing angle, the greater the emergence of bright colors designed to reward these temporary and atypical vantage points. 

To achieve this effect, Xun’s process is incredibly meticulous: she applies thin strips of painter’s tape to her raw canvases, leaving tight, linear patterns across the surface. Before she removes the masking, she continuously revisits the work with rollers of acrylic paint, adding layer on layer of pigment until significant sculptural lines have built up. Lastly, a final wash of oil paint seals the lines with a contrasting gloss. 

In this macro detail, the high-relief of the paint can be seen against the fibers of the natural linen canvas. 

See Ziyun Xun’s fascinating series of contemporary op-art in person on Saturday, January 6 from 1-3 p.m. during the opening reception, a one-of-a-kind art viewing experience.