The way of heaven is to benefit without harming.

Siyu Zhao

A flower that blooms on wounds, plucked by Buddha's hand.

Contact

ajizhizsy@gmail.com

Thesis

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Events

MIVC Graduation Research Hub 2024 (Day III)

I am a visual artist based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. My art is like a flower that blooms on wounds, plucked by Buddha's hand. I am interested in exploring the intersection of sexuality, feminism, culture, and Buddhism in my artistic works. My logic is influenced by numerous reincarnations in East Asian religious traditions. I believe East Asian society is in a pattern of feudal capitalism. As an East Asian woman, I feel molded into a scabbard-like shape. I express my experiences through a self-created painting technique, using sand from the canals of the Netherlands mixed with ancient Chinese mineral pigments and Tibetan Thangka. My works merge elements of human rights, women's rights, and religion. A Buddha with sexual desires is unacceptable in patriarchal and traditional Buddhist societies. However, I see it as the shape of my scabbard, refusing to be a sheath. I intend to collide with boundaries, challenging existing thoughts and orders. I believe my artwork aims to create a space for new understandings of gender and sexuality. By challenging traditional gender roles and offering an alternative sacred vision, I hope to create a more inclusive and just society. Looking ahead, I aspire to become a psychology practitioner. I have already begun suicide intervention by sharing my artwork online and applying my knowledge of religion and psychology. Through this work, I aim to continue supporting and healing others.

I use these ancient techniques, using the materials of patriarchy to create and defeat their knives. They use the womb to create male reproductive organs; I use male reproductive organs to create the womb. I am a traitor and an extension of them.

I am interested in exploring the intersection of gender and nature in my artwork.

Through observing society I have come to understand how patriarchal societies often view men as inherently superior to women, citing male dominance in nature as evidence. However, the natural world reveals a much more complex reality.

For example, during the mating process, the male anglerfish becomes the female's reproductive organ, losing its own immune system in the process. This suggests that gender roles in nature are not as fixed as we might have previously thought.

The anglerfish's unique reproductive process is just one example of how nature challenges our preconceived notions of gender. By incorporating it into my artwork, I hope to help viewers understand that gender is not a fixed or binary concept but rather a fluid and diverse spectrum.

Furthermore, I am interested in linking my paintings to the Tibetan Buddhist practice of yab-yum,that is, twoadvanced practitioneror gods, a man,and a woman, hug each other and practice to become buddhasduring sexual intercourse.This practice usually features a male figure as thecentral figure, but I want to subvert this patriarchal element by portraying women as joyful protagonist. In doing so, I aim to challenge the notion that women are inferior to men and demonstrate that women can also be spiritually and intellectually enlightened. By depicting women in positions of power and authority, I hope to break down traditional gender roles and promote gender equality.

The materials I plan to use in my paintings will also reflect my feminist and queer values. Earth and wood will be the primary materials, connecting them to the goddesses of various cultures. In many cultures, earth and nature are associated with the divine feminine, highlighting the natural power of women. By using these materials, I hope to create a sense of sacredness and reverence for the female form. I also plan to incorporate elements of sexuality and desire into my paintings. By portraying women in a state of sexual desire, I aim to challenge the notion that female sexuality is something shameful or to be hidden away. Instead, I want to celebrate the beauty and power of female sexuality and promote a positive and empowering view of women's bodies.

This world is a cesspool.

Why is it made into a cesspool?

Because the dirtier it is, the more it can sift out souls that can still see light and become light in the mud. So, the highest realm of practice is to become a toilet, able to flush away any amount of filth.

The lower the spatial level, the more rules there are. The lower the spatial level, the more desires there are. All our emotions and desires convert our energy into fuel for reincarnation.