“...It functions as disintegration to the aesthetics, based on ‘heaven and humans are united as one’, then desalinates or ignores the traditional Shan-shui paintings with human beings as the subject. It’s a conflicting experience of either succession or disintegration that can make Huang Yan’s performance of linking up to the traditional humanism vanguard-like.” - Gu Zhen Qing, The Traditional Visual Image

An avant-garde artist who abandons the traditional medium of paper and uses his own body as the site for his creations, Huang Yan is celebrated for his unorthodox oeuvre which combines painting, photography and sculpture. Born and based in Jilin province of China, Huang spent six years on the creation of his most prominent series “Chinese Shan-shui: Tattoo”. In the series, Huang imitates tattoo art by painting traditional landscapes of Song Dynasty on the contemporary medium of human bodies, which vary in position throughout. He then photographs the results to preserve the otherwise ephemeral body paintings. His works particularly accentuate the relationship between human and nature, implying its deep connection through the captivating illustrations of nature that obscure the body underneath. The submission of his own body as the site of exploration allows Huang to not only truly experience the mountain-water spirit, but also deliver his contemplations towards the contemporary society.