Chinese Literati artists frequently captured the cyclical change of the four seasons in their landscape paintings from the Northern Song period. However, theses scenes were mostly rendered in black and white. Lo Ch’ing’s transformation of traditional Chinese seasonal landscapes into colorful, lyrical, and imaginary scenes is highlighted in this exhibition titled “Colorful Landscapes: Four Seasons.” Playful images combining calligraphy and poetry, close-up views of natural objects revealing the symbolic meanings and essence of each season, and charming old rocks representing the metaphysical world of Lo Ch’ing’s mind all draw our attention to the spiritual portrait and the inner essence of the artist himself.
—Suzie Kim