Guigen Zha

The Escaping, Oil Painting

2022

Artist Comments
Artist Guigen Zha paints a realistic image of lotuses with a subtle spatial illusion. He shows the beauty of the flower's mysterious character, emerging from the mud unstained. "Reality is black. Tomorrow should be green," says Guigen. "If I don't want to be a part of the black, what I should do today is escape." He draws influence from the Chinese philosopher Zhou Dunyi in this culturally symbolic composition.

About the Artist
From cross-cultural life experiences, artist Guigen Zha presents conceptual compositions of traditional Chinese art imposed on contemporary elements. He seeks a balance of the harmonic and contradictory in each artwork—a synthesis of different artistic traditions. Guigen's creative passion led him to a fruitful career as an art teacher, animation artist, and graphic designer in Shenzhen and Shanghai. He migrated to the United States and finished his BFA at Missouri State University and his MFA at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Guigen bridges surrealism and postmodern art with still-life objects and their spatial relationships in the digital age. His recurring theme of eastern cultural relics brings honor to his deep connection to his heritage. "My work is a strong emotional expression of candor, belief, and hope," says Guigen. Working from his home studio, Guigen enjoys being in a state of tranquility where he can quietly contemplate. Aside from painting, he spends time writing poetry and bonding with his family—his pillar and strength. Guigen continues to work part-time as a graphic designer and art teacher.

Words that describe this painting: lotus, floral, cultural, flora, symbolic, mysterious, spatial, illusion, poetic, oilpaint, flowers, vertical realism, petals, plants, petal, realism, flora, realism, oil painting, green

The Escaping
Guigen Zha
Oil painting on stretched canvas
Painting wraps around edges
Ready to hang
One-of-a-kind
Signed on front
2022
24 in. h x 18 in. w x 1.5 in. d
3 lbs. 0 oz.