This submission is the result of theoretical research and practice-based artworks, which informed each other. The research focus consisted of two interconnected topics: Taoism’s influence on ancient Chinese landscape painting and the symbolic significance of the absent and present horizon in Chinese and Western painting. The research conducted into these topics and their interconnection was used to underpin my artworks. My research journey began by studying the various ways in which Taoism influenced the golden period of Chinese landscape painting in terms of spiritual, spatial and poetic values, much of which highlighted the symbolic significance of the absent horizon. This led on to researching its conceptual opposite in Western art. The ideas that emerged from this comparative study were then used to inform the 7 videos (Videos website link - https://vimeo.com/user17846654) that constitute the practicebased part of this submission. The 7 video artworks based on the 5 themes outlined in chapter 2 titled as follows: Creative Practice, Theme 1 Video 1; Creative Practice, Theme 2 Video 1; Creative Practice, Theme 3 Video 1; Creative Practice, Theme 3 Video 2; Creative Practice, Theme 4 Video 1; Creative Practice, Theme 5 Video 1; Creative Practice, Theme 5 Video 2. The images (below) exemplify the work: [PDF thesis contains images captioned "Shen Li (2013-2017) 7 videos’ Screenshots, Video website link - https://vimeo.com/243448393"] In a more general sense, the research carried out for this submission enabled me to explore cross-cultural possibilities within my contemporary practice. As a result, overlaps between Chinese philosophy and contemporary art (Western and Eastern) have gradually become the guiding principle behind the development and realization of my current artwork. My exposure to the Taoist spirit and aesthetic informs my desire to use art to empathise with nature, as opposed to slavishly copying it.
| Date of Award | 2019 |
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| Original language | English |
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