Artwork description:

The moon, this resplendent pearl in the night sky, carries profound significance in different cultures.
In Chinese culture, looking up at the moon is an ancient and profound experience. The moon symbolizes reunion. Whenever people look up at that round moon, a surge of longing for family and nostalgia for hometown wells up in their hearts. It also represents loftiness and tranquility. Just as poets express their insights into life and pursuit of an ideal realm under the moon. From the boldness of "When will the moon be clear and bright? With a cup of wine in my hand, I ask the blue sky." to the warmth of "A bright moon rises above the sea, even though we're far apart, we share this moment.", the moon has witnessed the joys and sorrows of the Chinese people and has become an important symbol of national emotion and culture.
In the Western literary classic "The Moon and Sixpence", the moon is endowed with the symbolic meaning of an ideal. The protagonist bravely pursues the moon in his heart, gives up his comfortable life and embarks on an art path full of challenges. This persistent pursuit of ideals shows the deep-seated desire for self-realization in the human heart.
This work takes looking up at the moon as its theme, aiming to fuse different understandings of the moon in Chinese and Western cultures and convey a universal emotion that transcends cultures. The work uses the image of a clear deer looking up at the moonlit sky to create a serene and mysterious atmosphere. Whether it is the Chinese people's longing for family and harmony or the Westerners' brave pursuit of ideals, they can all find resonance in this moment of looking up at the moon.
I hope that the audience can stop their hurried steps, look up at that round moon, and think about the meaning and value of life. In this era of globalization, let us cross cultural boundaries, jointly feel the spiritual touch brought by the moon, cherish those beautiful emotions and pursuits, and inject more poetry and warmth into our lives.

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Sculpture is a profession in a narrow sense, and it's more about shaping life in a broader sense. Works reflect character. We shape them, and they also subtly shape us. What matters is the spiritual core they convey to people.
"Purist", in Eastern aesthetics, represents a serene and elegant aesthetic concept. It embodies spiritual nobility and a healthy attitude towards life aesthetics. In the language of sculpture itself, it involves the pursuit of balance. The "Purist" series currently has concrete expressions of three traditional themes: deer, dragon, and literati. I think the concreteness in sculpture is to manifest one's own character and is a realistic portrayal of one's state of mind. The composition of deer and bamboo not only represents the delicate and beautiful appearance of Eastern imagery, but I also attach great importance to their being endowed with the symbol of an upright personality. The composition of deer and fire shows the integration of movement and stillness, cold and warmth, demonstrating the aesthetic concepts of a balanced state of mind and a prosperous and harmonious life. Many of my works are colored with cyan. Cyan is like water, with a cool and calm aura. The combination of cyan and white gives people an elegant and refined scholarly air.
Most of my recent works incorporate the satisfying image of the traditional Taiji diagram. For example, in the work "Purist · Seeking Seclusion", the plump back is slightly curved, and the head turns towards the thing it is seeking. Its posture of exploring seclusion in the forest recreates the charm of the verse "By chance, I found a secluded and leisurely place, and then forgot the worldly cares. Only then did I realize that a true hermit doesn't necessarily have to be in the forest."
"Steadfast Seeker", in Eastern aesthetics, is a gentle and profound aesthetic power. My father's generation spent their whole lives farming. They were steadfast, focused, simple, and down-to-earth. In my opinion, this is the most important spirit of working hard like an ox in aesthetics. The "Steadfast Seeker" series makes a contrast and reflection on the current fast-paced life. Should we slow down and deeply cultivate the aesthetics of life?
Most of my works adopt symmetrical and slightly dynamic compositional forms. Although they may seem to lack a bit of liveliness, I hope they have an eternal charm.
My creative method is rather rational and experimental. Sculpture is a task that requires perseverance. What matters is character rather than emotion. First comes technical ability, then cultivation, and finally art. If any step is lacking, it won't be profound enough. I often think about how to transform basic skills into humanistic emotions, how to develop my own individuality out of the common education in art academies, and how to make works more pure... Good works require one to immerse oneself in them. Each work condenses the true feelings at different stages. During the creative process, each work may have to be redone several times until an ideal one is achieved. The process of sculpture creation can be very arduous, but the works should bring a sense of relaxation to everyone.
Sculpture is like a notebook of life. We can retreat into ourselves through our works, and aesthetics grows in every bit of our life. I'm Zhang Youzhi, an art worker. I hope that everyone can be a "Purist" and a "Steadfast Seeker" in life.

Materials used:

bronze