Luo Fahui is part of the generation of artists who studied fine arts shortly after the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). His oil paintings, which are characterized by surreal, pearly gray composition punctuated by bright splashes of crimson and turquoise, address themes of desire, isolation and violence.

In Looking for Sunrise, a nude couple sits together with their backs to the viewer, facing a vast, grey abyss. The entire composition is comprised of Luo’s distinctive shades of gray, which in obscuring any light or detail, render the scene void of time and space. The color and texture of the setting is echoed in the figures themselves; the is man depicted in dark, gestural brushwork not unlike the mound he sits on, whereas the woman is depicted in soft, luminous grays that are evocative of the vaporous sky she faces. The only element of color in the painting is the faint pastel hues that are smudged across the figures fleshy forms—a daub of pink at the knee, a smudge of blue at the neck, and hint of yellow at the shoulder - imbuing the scene with a glimmer of hope.

A word from The Artist

Painting is the only channel by which I can to express my ideas, spirit, emotions and desires. It is my own space to distill my hopes. It is here that I experience of freedom of thought, life’s perfection, simplicity of language and inner emptiness. Painting helps me to feel the joy and lightness, enabling me to continue living out my existence.

Using images to unearth the feelings that are closest to me is enough. I could spend a lifetime exploring and expanding my deepest self. I am fortunate that this motivation never tires. My main goals are exercising self-control and sharpening my sensitivity, for these can always be drawn upon throughout one’s life. I have experienced life’s strangeness and joy, turned these emotions into images, and used reason to understand the vitality and energy behind human nature.