Luo Yonggui

Abstract Perception of Night Scenes:
Night scenes have always been a preferred theme of mine. They are not the direct result of visual observation but rather an integration of experience and sensation. At night, vision gives way to feeling, and human observation becomes blurred while sensation intensifies. Trees, flowers, birds, insects... living things exhibit a stronger vitality. The night becomes a world of experience, where, due to the lack of reference points, the length, width, and height of space extend infinitely, and the concept of distance becomes blurred. People enveloped by darkness experience both the pleasure hidden in the pitch-blackness and the fear of the boundless dark. In the deep of night, light becomes a warm existence, a signal of safety. This is the sensation I experience while walking at night, and I believe many others share the same experience. Whether in the presence or absence of light, in a bustling city or a rural area, the atmosphere of the night has a distinct difference. I like to paint familiar things around me, hoping that the works maintain a connection to reality. This is likely why, beyond landscapes, my works can engage in dialogue with the viewers—whether it's about the past, present, or future.

Cool Colors:
Until I graduated from graduate school, I had mostly lived in Yunnan, and the daily life had become a habit. Yunnan's climate is comfortable, with stable, moderate temperatures, and occasional extreme weather. The mountains are not very high, but the vegetation is abundant. The winter is not particularly cold and short, and flowers can still be seen in winter. There are only a few trees that shed leaves, and there is little sense of desolation. Green dominates much of Yunnan. The use of cold gray tones in my works, apart from being influenced by my long stay in Yunnan, is also likely related to my personality. I am not an extreme person in anything I do. A more fitting description would be “slow and steady,” as I always leave ample time for everything and leisurely complete my tasks. Hence, I rarely use passionate colors like red.

Mystery:
Some people say my paintings have a strong Yunnan flavor, but I don’t have a clear sense of it. In my understanding, when people talk about Yunnan’s atmosphere, they likely want to emphasize regional ethnic characteristics (of course, it might also refer to the "true self" or "authenticity" sought by the Southwest art group in the 1985 era). It has a kind of "shamanistic" mystery. I grew up in a multi-ethnic region and have often heard others warn, “Be careful, someone might cast a curse on you.” I assume it's similar to what is known as "falling under a spell." As a result, I’ve always held a sense of reverence for possible secret rituals.

Dialogue:
I anthropomorphize the objects I paint, treating them as having unique personalities. This is one of the logical factors influencing my creative process and the final state of my works. I complete most of my works using glazing techniques. I have never studied tempera, but the pure glazing method for oil painting is inspired by my experience with water-based materials. This technique achieves my goal of dissolving physical form. The multiple layers of glazing give depth to the color, weakening brushstrokes and creating an even surface. The resulting blurry and weightless state seems to lead toward a kind of divinity.

Doubt About Imagery:
I remain cautious of my works leaning too heavily toward imagery. This is a mature paradigm in painting. I only use "blurring." Most of the time, viewers can recognize that my works are based on photographs, but I rarely discuss them as images. I believe it is important to maintain a distance from an already mature system.