Painting by Heart
My Impression of Gulistan
He Yan
A hand, a violin, an open book, a dim head portrait, an archaic gown—traces of memories, put against light-yellow dappled grounding, gradually become objects for her meditation.
Symbols and episodes flash in Gulistan’s mind. What, therefore, does she want to express with them? The fact is that all arts are to deliver the artists’ emotion. As for painting, it is probably the way for the artist to grip and prolong the moment when she is inspired and passionate.
An oil painter and poet, Gulistan desires to vividly show her inner world to the public through her various arts.
Gulistan is passionate about music. She has fallen in love with many masters of classical music, such as Haydn and Bach. The unruliness in Jazz is also fascinating to her. All these accord with her nature. Her paintings are tinged with classical elegance and modesty. However, she achieves this with inspirations at will. Lightness and simplicity are sensed in all of Gulistan’s paintings—in The Essence of Memory this is especially the case, in which a dreamy air and exotic feelings permeate.
Born in Xinjiang, a beautiful place at the foot of Tianshan Mountain where dance and music flourish, Gulistan was imbued with a forthright and uninhibited nature. The innate intelligence and beauty within her makes one feel that she is like a well-nourished flower favored by the Creator.
The talents of such an artist are inborn. Gulistan herself is the masterpiece of nature. Sensitive to inner and outer beauty, she is commissioned to express and release such beauty.
In reading her poems, one can feel Gulistan’s cherished dreams, a free soul and persistent pursuit of beauty; while appreciating her paintings, one feels calm. All are so peaceful that the soundless music in the artist’s heart can be heard.
The pursuit of art is endless. The noblest character of artists is but their sincerity to art. Gulistan believes that good art requires a long time, wisdom and passion. I believe that she will devote her whole life to search for the beauty of art and soul. Since style is temporal, the artist will be happy forever with creation.
2006 in Shanghai
—Translated by Guo Jian