Five: Wuxing Elements in Art and Words

f i v W U X I N G I N

A R T

五

E L E M E N T S A N D

W O R D S

A L I C E F O R E W O R D

B Y

J O H N

G U R - A R I E E .

V O L L M E R

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F O R E W O R D C hinese effor ts to und er stand the

Wu xin g wa s in itia lly a ssoc ia te d

univ er se as a united whole are

with th e f ive visible pla n e ts—

concer ned with ontology, the

Jupite r, M a r s, S a tu r n , Ve n u s,

stud y of b eing. C hinese thinker s

an d M e rc u r y. Th e ir in de pe n de n t

sought insight into the nature of

m ove m e n t th rou gh th e n igh t sk y

things—their causes and conse-

– m ostly f or wa rd, bu t oc c a sion-

q uences—to und er stand the reality

all y ba c k tr a c k in g in re trogr a de

of b ecom ing, existing, changing,

b e f ore re su m in g m om e n tu m , we re

evolving, and d ecay ing.

lon g sc r u tin ize d by C h in e se c ou r t astrologe r s f or c or re la tion s with

At its core, this cosm ology con-

ea r th ly e ve n ts. Th e y c a lle d th e se

tains num er ic concep ts, includ ing

ec c e n tr ic h e a ve n ly bodie s wu xin g,

the fam iliar y in-y ang d uality, and

(lite r a lly, f ive tr a ve lle r s). Th e c on-

the less com m on sancai (three

junc tion s, or a lign m e n ts, of th e se

p ower s), sishi (four seasons) and

p la n e ts su gge ste d c on n e c tion a n d

wuxing (five elem ents/ p hases).

int e r a c tion .

They are p ar t of a greater d ata

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str ucture affecting and exp laining

Wu xin g e volve d in to a se pa r a te

all p henom ena in the univ er se

p hilosoph y du r in g th e se c on d

through unifying sets of laws.

ce n tu r y BC E . Th e f ive c om pon e n ts

o f wu xin g were s y m b olized b y the

senses, fiv e tastes, five bodily

im a ge e volve s in to a ve h ic le or

elemen t s w o o d, fire, ear th, m etal,

fluid s, and five y ang a n d f ive yin

ve sse l to tr a n sf or m ou r pe rc e ption

an d w at er. T h es e, in tur n, were

or gans.

by c on n e c tin g u s to ide a s, f e e l-

as s ign ed on e o f t he five univer sal

in gs, a n d se n sa tion s be yon d th e

co lou rs : blu e, red, y ellow, white,

“Fiv e” p rov id es a fr am e wor k to

an d black. Th e in ter actions of

ap p reciate Alice’s ar t. I t c om ple-

in dividu al w u xin g phases with the

m ents her p rev ious eff or ts f oc u se d

o t h ers were clas s ified as gener at-

on the twelve anim als of th e

in g, t ran s fo rmin g, and d estroy ing.

C hinese zod iac (Sheng xia o), wh ic h

T h u s , wu xin g is , as ind eed are all

is another of the num e r ic c on-

o f t h e n u meric concep ts em b od ied

cep ts, one that inter ac ts dire c tly

in Ch in es e co s mo logy, d ynam ic,

with wux ing, and an individu a l’s lif e

n ever s t at ic, an d a lway s ev olving.

exp er iences.

F o r t h e Ch in es e, “fiv e” p rov id es a

Alice’s ar tistic p r actic e e n ga ge s

way t o t h in k abo u t life in stages

us in its own d y nam ic of c h a n ge .

from in fan cy t o o ld age. One’s

Although her ar t is d e c isive ly

place o n eart h is e xp ressed in

ob ject b ased , for Alice th e im a ge

five direct io n s : n or th, south, east,

ceases b eing a record of som e-

wes t , an d cen t re. There are fiv e

thing to b e ob ser v ed . Ra th e r, th e

lite r a l su bje c t of h e r im a ge r y.

J oh n E . Vollm e r

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L o o k to th e poe ms to u n de r s tan d me .

I h a v e pac e d on c e th rou gh e ac h c y c le a n d re tu r n e d to pain t th e e le me n ts : d a r i n g mou n tain s th at bre ac h th e c lou ds ; m u s i c c a s t of me tal; r ain fore s t gre e n s an d w i ldflow e r blu e s ; ly r ic al r iv e r s an d s w e e t h on e y s u n s e ts .

C o ur age is th e tool th at w ill te ll y ou w h o I a m, w h e re I h av e be e n , w h at I h av e d i s c ov e re d, an d pos s ibly, th e s e c re ts I h av e le ft be h in d.

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Me, Me in the Mirror series.

Photographed in Israel and hand painted (digitally).

ARTIST’S VISION

F ive : Wu xin g Ele m e n ts in A r t a n d Words is th e c om pa n ion book to Twe lve : S h e n gxia o Zodia c C re atu re s in A r t a n d Words.

Un de r sta n din g th e m e a n in g a n d sign if ic a n c e of “f ive ” a n d “twe lve ” is n ot a pre re qu isite to re a din g e ith e r book , bu t it doe s provide c on te xt to th e proje c t a s a wh ole , a n d th e in dividu a l e n de a vou r s spe c if ic a lly. S o I do c om m e n d to you th e F ore wa rd e ssa ys a t th e be gin n in g of e a c h book , wr itte n

by A sia n a r t sc h ola r J oh n Vollm e r, a s th e y a re ou tsta n din g f or th e ir a c c e ssibility, c la r ity, a n d c on c isen e ss.

Twe lve pre se n ts a distin c t a pproa c h to th e zodia c c re a tu re s w e 5

w e hav e com e t o k n o w a s “ y e a r o f ”

but above all, in some way touch-

proje c t of ima ge s a n d stor ie s foc us-

ani mal s , an d f ea t u re s 3 2 f i n e a r t i m-

ing. And there are facets of me in all

s ing on the tw e lv e Ch in e se zodia c

ages al on g wi t h a s h o r t s t o r y re l a t-

of them.

cre a tu re s, F ive is a se le c tion of my wo r k ba se d on a broa de r a re n a of

i ng to each an i m a l . M y f i r s t c o l l e ct i on of t h em at i c a l l y l i n k e d s t o r i e s , i t

In the artwork, I wanted to present

landsc a pe s, se a sc a pe s, a nd c ity-

i s a b ook i n s t i ga t e d b y s p o n t a n e o u s

a fres h way of seeing the zodiac an-

s c a pe s, in some c a se s re c re a te d a s

curi os i t y, an d c re a t e d b y t h e l o v e

imals . I knew that in part it would be

abstr a c ts.

of sy m m et ry an d t h e n e e d f o r c o m-

achieved as a res ult of the proces s

pl eti o n . I f y ou a re n o t f a m i l i a r w i t h

I employed — painting (digitally) my

Impor ta n tly, w h ile Tw e lv e w a s spe-

Twel ve, y ou can f i n d i t h e re : h t t p s : / /

photographs . But more than that, I

cific a lly c re a te d to fit into the Chi-

i ssuu.com / agu r a r i e / d o c s / t w e l v e .

wanted to elicit a viewer res ponse

nese zodia c sc he ma , th e w or ks in

to the creature that was immediate,

Five h a v e be e n se le c te d a s inte r-

and pers onal.

pre ta tion s of my e xpe r ie n c e of the

I n t he s t or i es , I s t r i v e d t o c re a t e

wuxing: w ood, fire , e a r th , me ta l a n d

vo i ces t h at f i n d t h e i r t r u t h i n a m i x

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of my t h , f ab l e, a n e c d o t e , i m a g i n a-

Five is intrinsically connected with

wate r.

t i on, an d occasi o n a l l y, h i s t o r i c a l

Twelve in terms of understanding

f act . Ch aract ers f o r w h o m i t i s e a s y

the Chines e universe, but is differ-

My art sits in the “sweet spot” where

t o su s p en d d i s b e l i e f , l i v i n g t h ro u g h

ent thematically, s tructurally, artis ti-

fine art a n d photogr a ph y c on v e r ge .

si t ua t i on s t h at if d i s t a n t , a re d i s t i n c t

cally, and for me, emotionally. While

I invite the vie w e r to re pla c e the

and fam i l i ar; p o s s i b l y a rc h e t y p a l ,

Twelve was created as a defined

win dow th rough w hic h the y se e th e

w o r l d , w i t h a l e n s that trans forms

are painted by hand digitally with

but th e y a lso c a n be re a d toge th e r

v i s u a l c e r t a i n t y i n t o something that

a “brush”, sometimes in layers to

a s a w hole . I invite you to le t me

i s a t o n c e f a m i l i a r and foreign.

create washes , enlarging th e ima ge

kn ow w h ic h ga ve you a r ic he r c on-

and painting pix el by pixe l w h e re

ne c tion to the a r tw or k.

T h e i m a g e s i n F i v e are bas ed on

detail demands . Sometime s ph o-

photographs taken in France,

tographs are painted more th a n

Fiv e is n ot a bou t c h a r a c te r or sto-

G e r m a n y, I c e l a n d , I n d i a , I s r a e l ,

once — often quite radica lly — re v e a l-

r y line , bu t a bout v oic e s; my v oic e

I t a l y, J o r d a n , P o r t u g a l , t h e U n i t e d

ing the complex ity and nu a nc e of

a s I inte r pre t th e v a stne ss of a v a l-

K i n g d o m , a n d t h e United States .

experience; telling a diffe re nt stor y,

le y, or th e v a r ia tions of a n e v e ning

T h e locales may be of interest, but

communicating a dis pa r a te mood,

sh a dow. My voic e a s I se e k to un-

they are not t h e p oi n t . Each image is

revealing new shapes pe r ha ps, a nd

de r sta nd my ow n e xpe r ie n c e of the

the result of a creative process that

evoking a response tha t e n ga ge s

w or ld a rou nd me . Th e v oic e s tha t

b e g i n s w i t h w h a t my eyes s ee and

the head and the heart.

e c ho ba c k a t me from th e w u x in g:

what I have selectively photographed.

mome n ts of disc ov e r y a s I e n de a v-

Then, driven by the desire to explore

The s even poems were w r itte n spe-

ou r to e xpre ss w ood, fire , e a r th,

that reality, I refashion my experience

cifically for Five; a plea su re I a l-

me ta l a n d w a te r in a w a y tha t ha s

through the painting process.

lowed myself to introdu c e e a c h of

not be e n re ve a le d be fore .

the wuxing, inves tigate e a c h e lTreating my photograph as a can-

ement, complete the p a tte r n a nd

vas, pictures are interpreted as they

clos e the idea. They sta nd a lon e , 7

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There is a breeze - gauzy, scented with wild lilies from across the field, and the creamy light of the moon.

And a cycle begins….

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W

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O

O 木

D

F

A jo

Once around is not enough to know enough, To n a m e t h e d a y ’s d e l i g h t s , o r t o r e l i s h i n n i g h t ’s h a z e .

Five times the wheels must turn to take you to fulfilment,

o u r n e y w e d t o F o r t u n e ’s m a p a n d t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f F o r e v e r .

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Wood is linked to Spring, the period of growth, abundant vitality, increased sensitivity, movement and wind. . .

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L e s A r b r e s d e Po r q u e r o l l e s Yo u c a n o n l y g e t t o t h e Po r q u e r o l l e s , a n i s l a n d o f about 12.5 sq km off the coast of France, by boat. On the southern side, the coast is made of steep cliffs and secluded creeks only accessible to hikers. On the nor thern side, fine sand beaches and turquoise waters offer explorers stunning views of Nature.

This series follows the path I took on a summer af ternoon, through an extraordinary landscape of arching trees whose branches stretched their lacy network of leaves across a Mediterranean blue sky.

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Te n d e F l o w e r s The Alpes-Maritimes in the south of France are rugged, with astounding views over the Mediterranean Sea. Hiking there is demanding, but Nature rewards you with golden Autumn forests, and summers scented with wild flowers and a sea breeze.

It was this inspiring landscape where I photographed dried leaves and flowers, and painted them by hand digitally into this series. I particularly wanted to explore the textures, shapes and patterns I saw all around me, as well as seasonal colours.

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Westfield Westfield celebrates what was intended to be a quick jaunt into a mall for a cup of coffee and instead, spontaneously turned into a day photographing displays of live foliage placed throughout the concourses. The original photographs themselves are several years old, dating from a visit to California. I have tried over the inter vening years to interpret them into contemporary art images, without success. Until now.

Each image is named for the place in the mall near where I t o o k t h e p h o t o g r a p h ; “ Ta x i S t a n d ” ( l e f t ) n e a r t h e e x i t where the taxis picked up and delivered excited shoppers, a n d “ To b a c c o C o r n e r ” ( n e x t p a g e ) i n f r o n t o f t h e c i g a r store.

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Spring in Bloom The story of Spri ng i s based on a statue cal l e d S pr in g, w hic h s t a nds i n th e centre of a large concrete fou n tain in m y f r ie n d’s ex p ansi ve Germ an garden. Beneath th e statu e is a c on c re te b o wl fi lled - wh en I was th ere - wi th wi nter’s c l ou dy, al gae - l ac e d wa t er, and an abundance of tangled, floati n g l il y pads . I w al ke d a ro und th e fountai n, taken wi th th e sh apes an d patte r n s of the l e a ves and stem s.

B o asti ng m agi cal h ues th at glow th rough j ew e l c ol ou rs an d l ight up th e leaves from wi th i n, “Spri ng i n Bloom ” is on e of two s e r ie s I p ai nted from th e ph otograph s. “Early Sprin g” on page 3 1 e xempli fi es th e second seri es; eq ually i ntri gui n g ar ran ge m e n ts an d co nfi gurati ons catch your eye, but expressed in a c ol ou r pal e tte o f m uted tones.

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F

火 I

R

E

What is a

Ta k i n

As if to In the en

and someon

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cycle but one sound or scene or scent following another,

ng and giving, but always moving to the next beyond.

o say, just one more let me dare, endure, resist demise. d i s t h e e n d ; t h e c o u r s e r u n s o n l y t o t h e d a y ’s g o o d n i g h t

n e e l s e ’s p a t h t o d r e a m , t o c o u n t t o t w e l v e a n d s t a r t a g a i n .

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Fire is connected to Summer, a time of expansion and flowering and intense heat. . .

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Red “The Red Collection” includes works from various series as well as single images. They have been selected and grouped together only because they share the palette and symbolic associations of the colour red.

From the dramatic, landscape-inspired “Red” (Iceland) t o t h e g l o w i n g r e d s k y i n “A f t e r t h e B a t t l e ” ( Po r t u g a l ) , t h e s e i m a g e s p o r t r a y s o m e o f r e d ’s p o s i t i v e a n d n e g a t i v e emotions - passion, prohibition, seduction, danger - and d r a w t h e v i e w e r ’s e y e t o f o c a l p o i n t s a n d i n t o t h e i m a g e .

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Fire in the Sky It is a challenge to interpret the mystery and magnificence of the sun in the sky in a way that compels a viewer to think they have never before seen the world in quite that way. But as an inspired witness to this recurring daily event, that is exactly what I have strived to achieve in each of these images.

Of course, my explorations have confirmed it is not the sun itself that captures our attention, holds our gaze and causes us to pause, but the effect of the sun on the air around it, the context it creates for the creatures that pass beneath it, and the light and shadows it causes on the land and water below.

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Vo i c e s o f t h e M i l l Sometimes, long af ter the first series of works has been finished, I return to the original photographs, drawn by the sense that there is another, alternative way to interp r e t w h a t t h e l e n s c a p t u r e d . S u c h i s t h e c a s e w i t h “ Vo i c e s of the Mill”, the second series from “The Stream at Glun Collection” (pp104-107); this one, abstract art images.

I believe that in art, the proverbial idea that fire and water are incompatible, does not hold true. In this series, I have painted them as conspirators, working together to fashion moments of sunlight touching the stream as fiery sparks, floating petals, reflections, or simply the work of magic...?

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E

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A

R

土

H

M

Earth, a round of seasons playing with my eyes, W a t e r , E a r t h ’s r e n e w a l , a m i r r o r o f d i s g u i s e .

Metal meant to forge each wish that Wood and Fire spark, A plan of great collusion, like a whisper in the dark.

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Earth is coupled with late Summer, a period of expanding stability and clarity, of levelling and dampness . . .

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T h e K i n g ’s L o d g i n g I had always wanted to paint a series of layered hills, and found m y i n s p i r a t i o n o n a p h o t o s h o o t i n Po r t u g a l . L a t e o n a D e c e m b e r af ternoon I drove up a long, narrow, winding road for almost an hour. When I arrived at the top, I was as breathless as if I had run the whole way. A spectacular vista unfolded around me.

I imagined a narrative of kingdoms and magic, grand lives and c o m p l i c a t e d d e s i r e s . T h e r e s u l t i s “ T h e K i n g ’s L o d g i n g ” , a t a l e told through more than a dozen landscape images. Several have been featured in gallery collections; ”Af ter the Battle” (pp36-37) w a s s h o r t l i s t e d fo r t h e A r t G e m i n i Pr i z e .

“Rebirth” (lef t) was inspired by the pandemic, and painted in Pa n t o n e ’s c o l o u r o f t h e y e a r 2 0 2 1 ( w h i c h w a s , t h a t y e a r , a c t u a l ly two colours: “Illuminating” and “Ultimate Grey”). While yellow communicates optimism, grey embodies the loneliness and grief experienced around the globe.

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Desert Arrangements Of course, the arrangements of sand, sky, forest and rock in these landscapes are not my doing, they were made by Nature and gif ted to the Earth. I merely saw them - enveloped, from afar, or in the air - and painted them into the patterns I perceived. They create for me a visual memory of my experience; the shadows, textures and tones of natural geological events.

I believe the desert has stories to tell, some of them ancient, mysterious, confounding; presented in places waiting to be discovered, or purposefully found. Such is the case with “Us”, (right) two human forms, male and female, painted on a cave wall in single finger strokes. I was touched by the simple test i m o n y o f t h e N a b a t e a n c o u p l e ’s 6 t h c e n t u r y , e n t w i n e d h a n d s .

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Reach for the Sky Landscapes are a dominant theme in my work. I am inspired by their ability to capture and sustain my attention; every angle, every day, every season modifying their account, no two alike. I cannot know these mountains, I can only interpret what they lead me to believe.

These mountain landscapes feature works from a number of countries, including Iceland, Italy and Po r t u g a l .

“ M o u n t a i n ” ( r i g h t ) f r o m t h e “ D r a m a i n t h e Fo g ” s e r i e s was exhibited at the Embassy of Iceland in London, a u c t i o n e d a t C h r i s t i e ’s , a n d r e c e i v e d s e v e r a l a w a r d nominations.

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M

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E

T 金

L

Can

What is hard and what is sof t can be imagined like a voice,

n be fashioned into silhouette shapes, or coloured by pretend.

Its purpose can be melted like desires can be doused between the rays of light and touch, Or hardened like a cold star in a black universe.

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Metal is related to Autumn, the period of increasing dryness, stillness and hardening; and a period for collecting. . .

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The Belfry Dragon Construction began in 1313, the dragon was put on top of the tower in 1377, and my visit to the Belfry was 642 years later. But there was the dragon, a patchwork of metal complete with ears, feathered wings, almond shaped eyes, conical teeth and ungraceful legs fashioned together and held in place with rivets.

There are three series of abstract art works in this collection: those based on the colour of brass; those that emulate the blue grey colour of so many metals, and those that feel more modern, smoother and more fluid, as on page 85. All of them explore surface, and all of them include an interpretation of rivets, without which there would be no dragon.

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Metalworks It is not entirely correct to conclude that most of my work is done in series. There are many single works, such as “Deux Rennes Rouge” (right), which stand on their own and do not ask for or require further investigation or explanation or context.

But there are others which are the result of a response to something that caught my attention, sparked my imagination, and drove me to find my own meaning behind that connection. Such is the case with each of the three stand-alone images on pp88-89, all originating in Israel, but created at different times.

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This

W

A

T

水 E

R althou

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s from the water: the blue is my skin facing up to the sky, Lit up by reflection and a faraway dusk.

Dance with me against dark, impermanent shores that mould to my body like a ballerina in chiffon.

I will not betray you, this time, some time, gh I am only a lapping wave to the season of bending trees.

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Water is allied to Winter, a period of retreat, stillness, and retrenchment ...

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Seascapes It is possible that these seascapes, more than any other works in Five, express my deepest feelings about the human condition. They are about solitude, and moments that capture how one is tethered to the world in a singular way. In each image the elements that symbolise this connection - the small, solitary sailboat and the fishing boats in silhouette - are diminutive relative to the endless, enormous and encompassing sea and sky.

I relate to these images in a very personal way, as if I were in the image, pausing to understand the context of where I am in the universe, holding on to the silence of simply being.

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The Stream at Glun It was a sunny day when I arrived at the old, French village of Glun. The mill wheel was not turning, but the narrow stream was full of leaves and branches that had floated downstream. I stood on the small bridge, watching them pass beneath me. I examined the shapes, patterns and textures of the leaves, and gazed intently into the stream, where grasses and mosses swayed with the current.

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C i t y o f S i g h s ( Ve n i c e ) Ve n i c e c o n j u r e s u p i m a g e s o f h i s t o r y , c u l t u r e , a r t , fashion, food, exploration, palazzos, carnivals, architecture, and of course, romantic gondola rides through narrow canals. All this is true, but what I wanted to explore in my Impressionist style images was the city in shadows and textures more unfamiliar and less glamourous. Would the romance still come through?

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Canon (London) This photographic series, taken from my rowboat in the Thames River, captures a short, early morning passage from my buoy to shore. The thick fog and dim light created a stage-like setting of shadows and mist. My heightened senses heard every lap of chilly water on the hull, the morning bird calls to mates and young, felt every breath of sea breeze coming up the river.

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Reflections (Oostende) Oostende is the largest city on the Belgian coast, but I was so captivated by water features that I did not photograph anything else.

I painted the photographs into two series of abstract images. One of them is a large selection of “dot” works, created by painting the original photographs several times, in different ways, u s i n g d i v e rs e c o l o u r p a l e t t e s . S o m e dots remain black, some are transformed into o t h e r- w o r l d l y moons of saturated hues, thus creating a unique mood for each image.

“ Th e Do t Wa l l ” ( l e f t ) w a s c u ra t e d fo r t h i s c h a p ter, but of course, collectors are free to create their own dot walls in whatever combination of dot images appeals to them.

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Now I know the cycle reaches da

Through the winters to forgiving, from

The shadows want to catch me, and But I sing the song of temper, I

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rkness from the dawn,

m the moment Time is drawn.

d the counting is at one, am always just begun.

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W U X I N G

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C O R R E L A T I O

f i v

五

N S

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火 F IRE

木W O O D Azure dragon

Ve r m i l i o n b i rd

Y

east

south

c

spring

summer

l

windy

hot

d

Jupiter

Mars

S

patience

joy

e

anger

shock

a

sour

bitter

s

Heavenly stems

甲, 乙

丙, 丁

戊

Earthly branches

寅, 亥

卯, 戌, 午

子

new yang

full yang

y

generative

expansive

s

sprouting

blooming

r

sensitivity

creativity

c

Sense

sight

speech

t

Stage

birth

youth

a

Heavenly creature Direction Season We a t h e r Planet Positive quality Negative quality Ta s t e

Phase Energy State Action

126

水W A T E R

金M E T A L

土E A R T H

Ye l l o w d r a g o n

White tiger

Black tortoise

centre

west

north

late summer

autumn

winter

damp

dry

cold

Saturn

Ve n u s

Mercury

empathy

courage

calmness

anxiety

sadness

fear

sweet

pungent

salty

戊, 己

庚, 辛

壬, 癸

子, 丑

辰, 酉

巳, 申, 未

yin-yang balance

new yin

full yin

stabilizing

contracting

conserving

ripening

withering

dormant

clarity

intuition

spontaneity

taste

smell

hearing

adolescence

adulthood

old age

127

十w 二 128

e l v e A T T R I B U T E S

O F

S

H E N G X I A O

C R E A T U R E S

129

鼠

R AT

Order

One

Tw o

Three

Lucky

gold, green, blue, 2,3

red, blue, purple, 1,9

g r a y, b l u e , w h i t e , o r a n g e , 1 , 3 , 4

Unlucky

y e l l o w, b ro w n , 5 , 9

white, green, 3,4

g o l d , s i l v e r, b r o w n , b l a c k , 6 , 7 , 8

Element

water

earth

wood

yang

yin

yang

adaptable, smart, cautious,

honest, persistent, patient,

tolerant, loyal, valiant

Force Strengths

cheerful, acute, alert, positive, flexible, outgoing We a k n e s s e s

B i r t h Ye a r

timid, unstable, stubborn,

1936 1984

1948 1996

1960 2008

cautious, level-headed,

courageous, virtuous,

strong-willed

inattentive, querulous

130

虎 T IGER

牛 O X

t r u s t w o r t h y, i n t e l l i g e n t

obstinate, inarticulate,

obstinate, arrogant, short-

prudish, distant

t e m p e r e d , h a s t y, t r a i t o r o u s

1972

1937

1949

1961

1973

2020

1985

1997

2009

2021

1938

1950

1962

1974

1986

1998

2010

2022

8

龍 DRAG ON

兔 RA BBIT

蛇 S NA K E

Six

Four

Five

red, blue, pink, purple, 3,4,9

g o l d , s i l v e r, g r a y, 1 , 6 , 7

b ro w n , d a r k y e l l o w, w h i t e , 1 , 7 , 8

red, green, purple, black, 9,8,3

wood

earth

yin

yang

gentle, sensitive,

decisive, inspiring,

compassionate, amiable,

magnanimous, sensitive,

modest, merciful

ambitious, romantic

amorous, hesitant, stubborn,

eccentric, tactless,

timid, conservative

f i e r y, i n t o l e r a n t , u n r e a l i s t i c

re d , l i g h t y e l l o w, b l a c k ,

2,8,9

white, gold, brown, 1,6,7 fire yin

1939

1951

1963

1975

1940

1952

1964

1987

1999

2011

2023

1988

2000

2012

soft-spoken, humourous, sympathetic, determined, passionate, smart jealous, suspicious,

1976 2024

s l y, f i c k l e , n o n c h a l a n t 1941

1953

1965

1977

1989

2001

2013

2025

131

Order

Seven

Eight

Nine

Lucky

b ro w n , y e l l o w, p u r p l e , 2 , 3 , 7

red, green, purple, 3,4,9

green, red, purple, 1,7,8

Unlucky

blue, white, gold, 1,5,6

gold, brown, black, 6,7,8

b l a c k , g r a y, d a r k b r o w n , 1 2 , 5

Element

fire

earth

metal

yang

yin

yang

warm-hearted, upright,

gentle, soft-hearted, thrifty

enthusiastic, self-assured,

considerate, persistent,

sociable, innovative

Force Strengths

easygoing, independent, patient We a k n e s s e s

attractive, hardworking

spendthrift, vain, spontaneous

B i r t h Ye a r

1942 1990

132

猴 M O N K EY

羊 S H EEP

馬 HORSE

1954 2002

1966

1978

2014

2026

indecisive, timid, vain, moody

jealous, suspicious, cunning,

pessimistic

selfish, arrogant

1943

1955

1991

2003

1967 2015

1979 2027

1944

1956

2004

2016

1968 2028

1980 1

5,9

,

1992

猪 P IG

狗 DOG

鸡 ROOS T E R

Tw e l v e

Te n

Eleven

g o l d , b ro w n , y e l l o w, 5 , 7 , 8

green, red, purple, 3,4,9

white, green, 1,3,9

blue, white, gold, 1,6,7

metal

earth

yin

yang

independent, capable,

valiant, loyal, responsible,

warm-hearted, self-respecting,

c l e v e r, c o u r a g e o u s , l i v e l y,

quick thinking

sensitive, conservative

impatient, critical, eccentric,

stubborn, emotional

y e l l o w, g r a y, b r o w n , g o l d , 2 , 5 , 8 red, blue, green, 3,1,9 water yin honest, frank, chivalrous, gallant, tolerant, optimistic, faithful naive, hot-tempered, impulsive

narrow-minded, selfish 1945

1957

1969

1981

1946

1958

1970

1982

1993

2005

2017

2029

1994

2006

2018

2030

1947

1959

1971

1983

1995

2007

2019

2031

133

Five is dedicated to m y f a t h e r, D o n a l d Gurarie, who taught me how to see.

Self portrait p e n c i l o n p a p e r, 1 9 3 3

134

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S As m uch of the ar twor k in F ive :

with h is e xc e lle n t F ore word,

Wux ing E lem ents in Art a n d Words

th a t m a de th is book a c c e ssible ,

existed b efore the p ro je c t be ga n ,

sa tisf yin g - diff e re n t - a n d I h ope

you could say the b oo k “sta r te d

m e m or a ble .

from the outsid e in”. Th is m e a n t a d ifferent ap p roach to c re a tin g

Wor k in g with J oh n on Twe lve

the b ook was req uired, a n d th a t,

a n d F ive, th e la r ge st a n d by

in tur n, resulted in a n u m be r of

f a r th e m ost c h a lle n gin g of ou r

com p lete restar ts—all of th e m

c olla bor a tion s, h a s solidif ie d

instigated b y m y colle a gu e J oh n

J oh n ’s pla c e in m y wor ld

Vollm er. The challenge wa s h ow

n ot on ly a s a n ou tsta n din g

to d esign a b ook that sh a re d th e

c u r a tor, a c a de m ic a n d A sia n a r t

look and feel of its com pa n ion

spe c ia list, bu t a s a c olle a gu e

Twelve: Shengxiao C re a tu re s in A r t

of lim itle ss e n e r gy, e n th u sia sm ,

and Word s, was tr ue t o e xpre ssin g

e n c ou r a ge m e n t a n d ide a s.

the wux ing, and yet ha d its own p er sonality.

Th a n k you , m y f r ie n d, f or you r ta le n ts a n d te n a c ity in pu sh in g

I had ver y sp ecific id e a s a bou t

th is u n iqu e proje c t th rou gh to

which im ages I wanted to in c lu de ,

c om ple tion . M y sou l, f or n ow, is

b ut it was John’s cur a tor ia l

f u lf ille d.

guid ance and d esign se n se , a lon g

135

ARTWORK NOTES WO O D p 9

Wind from the West

FIRE p 24

Reunion series (Israel)

Ta x i S t a n d

p 35

Westfield series (USA)

Red Love on the Rocks series (Iceland) N o m i n a t e d , Te r r y O ’ N e i l l

p 13 p 15

Entering Periyar (India)

series (France)

p 29

Upper Path

E x h i b i t e d , C o n i n g s b y G a l l e r y ,

p 30

136

(L) Emerald Spring

p 40

London p 31

Early Spring Early Spring series (Germany)

(L) Borderline (Wales) ( M ) C a e s a r ’s L i g h t ( I s r a e l ) E x h i b i t e d , C o n i n g s b y G a l l e r y , London ( R ) M e l p o m e n e Becoming Harlequin series (Italy)

E x h i b i t e d , C o n i n g s b y G a l l e r y ,

Lapis Arrangement

F e a t u r e d , A r t i s t Ta l k M a g a z i n e

p 38-39 After the Battle (detail)

Spring in Bloom series (Germany)

F e a t u r e d , A r t i s t Ta l k M a g a z i n e

Te n d e F l o w e r s s e r i e s ( F r a n c e )

London

(R) Overture

Te n d e F l o w e r s s e r i e s ( F r a n c e )

A Ta n g l e o f S h a d o w s

Shortlisted, ArtGemini Prize

London

Forest Shoots

After the Battle K i n g ’s L o d g i n g s e r i e s ( P o r t u g a l )

E x h i b i t e d , C o n i n g s b y G a l l e r y ,

series (France)

p 23

p 36

Spring in Bloom series (Germany)

L e s A r b r e s d e P o r q u e r o l l e s

Te n d e F l o w e r s s e r i e s ( F r a n c e )

Collection

Spring in Bloom series (Germany)

series (France)

p 22

F e a t u r e d , S i n g u l a r t R e d

(R) Darkness and Heat

Les Arbres de Porquerolles

p 21

London

(L) Spring Laughter

London

series (France)

Noon at Beach Point

E x h i b i t e d , E m b a s s y o f I c e l a n d ,

E x h i b i t e d , C o n i n g s b y G a l l e r y ,

B i r d o n t h e W i n g

p 18-19

A u c t i o n e d , C h r i s t i e ’s L o n d o n

Spring in Bloom series (Germany)

L e s A r b r e s d e P o r q u e r o l l e s

p 17

Photography Award

To b a c c o C o r n e r

Westfield series (USA)

Waypoint Les Arbres de Porquerolles

p 16

p 26-27

p 41

T h e W i s h i n g Tr e e s The Fire Walkers series (Israel)

EARTH p 43

Conyer

p 55

Tr i o F l y i n g N o r t h

p 66

Still, Quiet, Blue series (Iceland)

Conyer Creek series (UK) p 44

Shore

p 56

Rebirth

Hula series (Israel)

T h e K i n g ’s L o d g i n g s e r i e s ( P o r t u g a l )

F e a t u r e d , S i n g u l a r t F e a t h e r e d

Featured, Singulart Pantone Colour

Creatures Collection

o f t h e Ye a r C o l l e c t i o n

Over Nevada series (USA) p 67

p 69

To p Te n A r t w o r k s , C u l t u r e L a b e l p 58

Costa del Sol

E x h i b i t e d , E m b a s s y o f I c e l a n d ,

T h e K i n g ’s L o d g i n g s e r i e s ( P o r t u g a l )

London

E x h i b i t e d , C o n i n g s b y G a l l e r y ,

A u c t i o n e d , C h r i s t i e ’s L o n d o n

Still, Quiet, Blue series (Iceland)

London

N o m i n a t e d , Te r r y O ’ N e i l l

Long listed, Aesthetica Art Prize

Exhibited, Emerge Contemporary

Photography Award

E x h i b i t e d , E m b a s s y o f I c e l a n d ,

G a l l e r y, L o n d o n

p 46-47

Ta p e s t r y

p 70

London E x h i b i t e d , C o n i n g s b y G a l l e r y, L o n d o n p 48

p 59

Under Cloudy Skies series (Iceland)

T h e K i n g ’s L o d g i n g s e r i e s ( P o r t u g a l )

E x h i b i t e d , E m b a s s y o f I c e l a n d , London

p 60

Eastern Hunt T h e K i n g ’s L o d g i n g s e r i e s ( P o r t u g a l )

p 61

I Wander in This T ime of Blue

E x h i b i t e d , E m b a s s y o f I c e l a n d ,

T h e K i n g ’s L o d g i n g s e r i e s ( P o r t u g a l )

London p 72-73

Vo i c e s o f t h e M i l l s e r i e s ( F r a n c e ) p 63

Us (Jordan)

Lake Maggiore at Dawn (Italy)

E x h i b i t e d , C u r i o u s D u k e G a l l e r y, London

Middle Blue Vo i c e s o f t h e M i l l s e r i e s ( F r a n c e )

Grazing

F e a t u r e d , A r t i s t Ta l k M a g a z i n e

(R) An Evening Whisper

p 51

p 71

Under Cloudy Skies series (Iceland)

(L) Light in the Shallows Vo i c e s o f t h e M i l l s e r i e s ( F r a n c e )

Soon It Will Rain

View from the Ramparts

Deep Pool Vo i c e s o f t h e M i l l s e r i e s ( F r a n c e )

p 50

Mountain Drama in the Fog series (Iceland)

Sunrise at Gamla Reunion series (Israel)

Over Nevada Over Nevada series (USA)

F e a t u r e d , A r t i s t Ta l k M a g a z i n e p 45

Striations

p 64-65

Desert Sky

Reunion series (Israel)

137

M E TA L p 77

Spiralling Out of Control

WATE R p 88

Workshop series (UK)

(L) In the Garden of the Ba’ha u llah

p 97

Reunion series (Israel)

F a l l e n L e a v e s Boissy series (France)

F e a t u r e d , A r t i s t Ta l k M a g a z i n e p 78-79 Spiralling Out of Control (detail)

F e a t u r e d , S i n g u l a r t B l u e

Collection

p 80

p 98-99 Fallen Leaves (detail) p 100

Birth of a Dragon The Belfry Dragon series (Belgium)

(R) Isaiah

N i g h t V i e w , A p o l l o n i a Reunion series (Israel)

P r o p h e t s a n d A n g e l s C o l l e c t i o n p 82

(L) Shin

(Israel)

p 102-103

Still Water (Portugal)

Tr e e o f L i f e ( I s r a e l )

p 105 After the Weir

The Belfry Dragon series (Belgium) F e a t u r e d , A r t i s t Ta l k M a g a z i n e

p 89

(R) Pressed for Time

p 90-91 Rider and Steed

The Stream at Glun series (France) The Belfry Dragon series (UK)

P r o p h e t s a n d A n g e l s C o l l e c t i o n (Italy)

p 83

p 92-93

Northbound

B r i d g e O v e r N o . 2 R o a d s e r i e s

p 85

The Stream at Glun series (France)

Portal The Belfry Dragon series (Belgium)

p 84

p 106 (L) Congregation

Pompous Parade

(Israel)

The Belfry Dragon series (Belgium)

(M) Last Wishes The Stream at Glun series (France) p 107 Leaves on a Halfway Stream The Stream at Glun series (France)

D r a g o n ’s C l a w The Belfry Dragon series (Belgium)

p 1 0 9 L e a v i n g Ve n i c e o n a G re y D a y (Italy)

p 87

Deux Rennes Rouges The Christmas Collection (France)

p 110 Evening Promenade Ve n i c e C i t y s c a p e s s e r i e s ( I t a l y )

138

A l i c e G u r- A r i e © 2 0 2 3 A l l r i g h t s re s e r v e d u n d e r t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, i n c l u d i n g p h o t o c o p y i n g a n d re c o rd i n g , o r b y a n y i n f o r m a t i o n s t o rp 111 (L) Il Ponte de Notte Ve n i c e C i t y s c a p e s s e r i e s ( I t a l y ) ( R ) Q u i e t M o r n i n g , Ve n i c e

age and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the c o p y r i g h t o w n e r, e x c e p t f o r t h e u s e o f b r i e f q u o t a t i o n s i n a b o o k re v i e w, w h e re c re d i t m u s t b e a t t r i b u t e d .

Ve n i c e C i t y s c a p e s s e r i e s ( I t a l y ) p 112

All artworks and poems are created entirely by the artist.

Chorus C a n o n s e r i e s ( U K )

F e a t u r e d , L e n s C u l t u r e Art Photography Prize Gallery p 114

Crescendo Canon series (UK)

p 115

Coda Canon series (UK)

p 116-117 The Dot Wall Reflections series (Belgium) p 118 Looking Glass

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+44 (0) 7827 331 727 a l i c e @ a l i c e g u r- a r i e . c o m agurarie a l i c e g u r- a r i e . c o m alicegur_arie

Fine art prints of individual Wuxing themes can be purchased d i re c t l y f ro m A l i c e G u r- A r i e .

O rd e r s a n d e n q u i r i e s a l i c e @ a l i c e g u r- a r i e . c o m .

Reflections series (Belgium) p 119 Nightlife in Blue Reflections series (Belgium)

For licensing enquiries contact: artists@bridgemanimages.com.

To s e e m o r e o f A l i c e G u r - A r i e ’s a r t p o r t f o l i o g o t o h t t p s : / / w w w. s i n g u l a r t . c o m / e n / a r t i s t / a l i c e - g u r- a r i e - 2 4 5 5 9

p 120-121 Nightlife in Blue (detail)

L I N K T O C O M PA N I O N B O O K Tw e l v e : S h e n g x i a o Z o d i a c A n i m a l s i n A r t a n d W o r d s https://issuu.com/agurarie/docs/twelve

139