On the surface, Wu Yang's art depicts stones but upon closer inspection, her works convey complex emotions and reveal the innerworkings of her heart. The heart is not stone, of course, but it is compared to one. In Wu Yang's work the heart is not fragile, it is not wavering, it is not dishonest or deceptive. Likewise, the fabric is not a beautiful dress for the stone, but it is compared to one. These textiles allow for beauty, for emotions, for ephemerality. Together, they make up Wu Yang's distinctive style and theme.

　　Wu Yang fell in love with art and design early in her childhood. She enrolled in the Beijing School for Arts and Crafts when she was 16 and attended university at the Central Academy of Art and Design. She initially designed textiles; later, she worked in the fashion industry as a fashion designer and became the creator of her own clothing brand. She studied further and worked in the United Kingdom, and also immigrated to Canada with her children. Yet, regardless of the path she took, Wu Yang was always dedicated to what she chose and had a seemingly unbreakable resolve to persevere.

　　After Wu Yang became a mother, the laughter and cries of children became an irreplaceable part of her life but as an artist, she had always valued silence and the space it gave her to find herself. When the children were off at school, she spent a lot of time alone, reflecting. As such, the tranquility that her paintings carry are not without a touch of loneliness. This loneliness has nothing to do with status or wealth - it is indicative of a certain hardness and strength in the face of adversity because as a mother alone in a foreign country, she could not afford to waver. Her art tells this story and it carries the same grace she had despite the weight on her shoulders.

　　Wu Yang's paintings always show a kind of female charm of tenderness and warmth. Her years of training in fashion design lends her art a flavor and style that is inconceivable in language and inexpressible in behaviour. She adopts light and color in a way that puts her stones center stage - beautiful, elegant, and unapologetic. I know she once was (and still is) committed to literature and composed interesting children's picture books. That is why her creations are always characterized by stories and narrations. She is unafraid to let the stones and the flowers become the main character in the worlds she creates.

　　Wu Yang favors stones because they are often a symbol of strength. Stones are simple and undecorated, raw and truthful. Her work acknowledges that she cannot make her heart like pure stone but in its own way she shows that a heart which is emotional is not weak. For her, rich expressions of herself are interwoven in the longitude and latitude lines of thread, the light and heavy colors, the blooming flowers. Wu Yang endows upon her art a sense of freedom and strength that is unique and true to herself.

　　She does not have a heart made of stone. However, the stones in her world, the ones she covers with fabric and flowers, can be compared to her heart. Perhaps wrapping the heart is a way to protect herself against hardship but I'd argue it is a heart blossoming with joy. Having experienced the ups and downs of life, some artists' creative desires may fade with time, but Wu Yang harnesses these experiences and continues to express herself. The seemingly quiet life does not freeze her mind.

Yu Ding

(Vice Dean and Professor of the School of Humanities at the Chinese Academy of Fine Arts)