The citadel of Villefranche introduces us to a highly talented Chinese artist. Liu Yilin has many strings to his bow: sculptor, painter, engraver, and even writer. We could add poet without taking too much of a risk.
When he discovered Villefranche and its bay, he offered one of the most beautiful definitions of this former Savoyard military port: “Upon completing a five-year world tour, I realized I had never seen a place as aesthetically complete as Villefranche-sur-Mer, whose landscapes are a colorful ballet where the blues of the sky and sea blend under the benevolent guidance of the Alpine massif.”
This statement by the artist alone summarizes the exhibition from an artistic perspective. But we must get to know Liu Yilin more intimately. As we have seen, the artist possesses multiple facets, and through this exhibition, he becomes a philosopher in the true sense of the word’s wisdom: the elder is the ‘bearer’ to whom the young owe listening and respect; forgiveness, tolerance; the Buddhist doctrine identifies three poisons: ignorance, greed, and anger. We must acknowledge that these three poisons are omnipresent in our Western society.
Liu Yilin envisions the planet as a grand village where the butterfly theory is highly present. Each of us is responsible for our future. The artist advocates for true ecology, contrasting with the political substitute where compromises have distorted its aim. To surpass oneself to progress is the merit that should be highlighted.
We are before a sage, a poet, and a philosopher. His works—sculptures and paintings—are made of pure lines; there is no violence in the stroke, no edges, no angles; there is an impression of infinity, the line dissipates and exceeds the object or canvas.
His paintings are like Mandalas. We are drawn towards a center; the circle dominates; it is the guiding line, that of an eternal cyclical rebirth of the universe.
Two sculptures are the symbols of this exhibition: the Rooster and Médor, the bird, and the dog. Nature and Man. This exhibition is a therapy of wisdom.
Thierry Jan
