The first thing that entered my sight when I walked into Wang’s studio in Chongqing China last October, was a huge canvas of a woman’s behind with a white thong, garter belt and stockings. She was leaning slightly forward therefore her legs and buttocks were the focal point in the painting. She stands taller than the skyscrapers in the background, against the urban sky, with the sun piecing through the clouds, a few butterflies flying in the air, looking forward and into the future, larger than life…
The painting is called "Urban Desire." Obviously, the significance of this painting is not in the sexuality itself. China is a country with a history of suppressing women’s sexuality both in the communist era and in its long history preceding that.
But this is not the case in China these days. The country is going through the transition from centralized state-owned economy to free enterprise. As a result of that, the economy is booming. The country is undergoing urbanization and westernization. People are freer to explore and express themselves. Free expression of sexuality is only one of the newfound freedoms in China.
 With desires come frustrations and freedoms with a price. Urban dwellers enjoy the modern conveniences and luxuries of living in a big city but are faced with constant pressure from all directions. We realize that we are not as free as we thought or wish we were after all. Regardless of the fact we can make day-to-day personal choices on what and what not to do, our thinking and behaviors are heavily influenced and shaped by our desires and pursuits for money, power, sex, love and status; by all the trends and fads in the pop/consumer culture; by our own fears and insecurities…
Wang’s Underwater Series contemplated and reflected this theme. “I loved swimming as a child. Underwater is a fantasy world to me,” Wang says, “I have always been fascinated by the sunlight piecing through and the movement of the water. It is the most beautiful thing. Swimming gives me a sense of freedom. We move freely and weightlessly under water. But on the other hand, the same water that gives us a sense of freedom can suffocate us. We need to come out for air once in a while…”
Don’t we all feel “We need to come out for air” at times in life?
 So what is the answer to this paradox of freedom and limitation? Wang made an attempt to explore this topic in his Butterfly Series. Butterflies symbolize beauty and freedom. But before they can spread their wings and fly, they have to go through the painful transformation from being an ugly caterpillar. To reach our dreams in life, we must dare to face our fears, leave our comfort zone and go through sometimes painful transformations…
We invited Wang to Laguna Beach from China for the show. This is the first time that he came to America. It has been a pleasure showing him around Orange County. He is intently curious and open-minded about different kinds of food, wine, and local life style and culture. Regardless of his achievement as an artist, Wang is just a fun and laid-back 27 year old, who enjoys Hollywood movies and American rock music.
He was exhibited at last year’s Art Basel in Miami. His oil painting "I Am Waiting for You" (Part of the exhibition at Mandarin Fine Art Gallery) was published on the back cover of Art China (No. 1 art publication in China). A five-page article featuring him by China’s most renowned art critic Wang Lin was also published in the same issue.
But when talking about his art, Wang is very modest and low key: “I want to express meanings in my paintings, but I am not a philosopher. I am an artist. I merely paint what moves me and put in my understanding of life. And hope to get people to look at life a little differently.”
I appreciate Wang’s uncontrived approach to art. Art is about truth and beauty, but truth and beauty are not created by artists. They are there all along. We only need fresh eyes. Art is the by-product of when beauty passes through us.
To see more of Wang’s work, please go to: www.mandarinfineart.com and www.mfamodernart.com
Lily Pietryka
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