Tianxiang Zhou
The Radiance of Enlightenment
“Good and evil are widely believed to exist objectively and to be mutually reinforcing, and evil is a state of reality that struggles incessantly with good.”
My artistic focus lies in exploring the multifaceted nature of morality in Eastern and Western cultures, primarily looking at the issue from the point of view of Ksitigarbha, an East Asian Buddhist idol recognized for rescuing Chinese deities guilty of the seven deadly sins. He was committed to delaying Buddhahood until "all the Hells are empty."
This body of work merges my personal experiences with art historical references, looking at the complexities of how good and evil are represented in both Eastern and Western contexts, giving consideration to the religious conventions that underpin them.
My practice and presentation grapples with a critical issue: the one-dimensional portrayal of morality and divinity in traditional Chinese culture and the importance of acknowledging and understanding the inherent evil in deities and, by extension, humans.
