Original artwork description:

Xu Bin's original oil painting, "Dunhuang - Dream of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake I" is a captivating and thought-provoking artwork that explores the complex relationship between history, memory, and personal identity.

The painting depicts a tourist, who is actually the painter himself, soaring high above the sky with outstretched arms and folded feet. The figure appears impatient, as if eager to explore and discover something. In the lower sky, scattered pieces of paper float, each one recording a different historical event or the painter's personal experience and mental journey.

Beneath the tourist, in the center of the yellow desert, lies the famous Crescent Lake, which has existed for thousands of years. The lake shimmers with sparkling waves, reflecting the bright blue sky above. Several ancient buildings can be seen in the distance, revealed through the pieces of paper that float in the sky.

As the wind blows, a few white pieces of paper float on the surface of the lake, each one representing a different aspect of history or the artist's past. The artist stretches out his right hand and touches one of the pieces of paper with his fingertips, as if feeling the weight of the information recorded within it.

Through this painting, Xu Bin expresses not only his nostalgia for history but also the importance of reflecting on one's past experiences in order to move forward. The scattered pieces of paper floating in the sky represent the fragmented nature of memory and the difficulty of piecing together a cohesive narrative of the past. Yet, despite this fragmentation, the artist's hand reaching out to touch the paper suggests a desire to connect with the past and understand its significance.

Overall, "Dunhuang - Dream of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake I" is a powerful and thought-provoking work of art that encourages viewers to reflect on their own past and move forward.

Materials used:

oil paints

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