Clement Greenberg's concept of “anti-representation”, proposed during the 1940s and 1950s, asserts that art should not rely on representing or imitating the real world. The materiality of oil painting enables it to transcend the depiction of external reality, becoming a purely visual experience. In Huang Junnan's work, the materiality, somber dark tones, and blurred boundaries of the painting medium present heavy themes to the viewer. The works evoke a sense of loneliness and helplessness due to their ambiguity. For instance, in the “Nightmare2018” series, the artist records objects from dreams and reality through spontaneous sketches. By linking these images, the artist conveys a sense of difficulty and vulnerability in expressing thoughts and ideas, resulting in a mental and visual state of ambiguity. At the same time, she strives to create a dreamlike and poetic atmosphere of self-exploration, yet without clear answers.
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Huang Junnan's work consistently rejects the reliance on mimicking or representing the real world in painting. She explores the unique qualities of the canvas as a two-dimensional surface. The artist not only creates emotional and spiritual resonance on a visual level but also emphasizes the autonomy of the medium—its ability to reveal itself—while exploring her own characteristics and limitations. She carefully selects materials based on their texture, color, brushstroke, and composition, abandoning external narrative styles or symbolic meanings. These elements themselves become objects of direct perception for the audience, offering solace and prompting reflection.
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In contemporary painting, there is an excessive fascination with narrative and sentimentality, with less openness to exploring the medium itself. Huang's work does not limit painting to the discussion of image and texture, instead highlighting the simplicity and obvious materiality of the medium. The “anti-representational” approach in her work strongly reflects her desire to move painting away from traditional representational methods toward the non-representational realm. Through the materiality of the medium and the flatness of the canvas in her paintings, Huang allows the viewer to experience her struggle to break free from the depressive state, exploring both the “materiality” and “spirituality” of art, along with a playful take on life. The spirit of art lies in the meaning of material existence and serves as the driving force behind it. Different contexts give rise to different forms. In Huang's works, the ordinary object of a “Chair” exhibits strong materiality within the artist's artistic context. The angle, weight, color, and temperature of the chair only reveal its physical attributes, but by incorporating Chinese traditional art foundations and Western composition, Huang alters the context of the chair. Painting enables Huang to externalize her emotions, forming complete and concrete artworks. This is not just a conceptual shift but a new materiality created on the canvas through the depiction of objects. In her work from September 15, 2023, Huang placed a real chair in front of the painting, deepening the viewer's engagement with the dialogue between art and the world through the perspective of “ready-made” art. Without altering the chair’s original physical characteristics, its materiality emphasizes the direct experience of art. By using emotion to construct materiality, she creates a mental world that belongs to her, navigating between the self and others.
In China, the inherent violence of the world, repressed by societal systems, periodically resurfaces. This occurs across various professional roles, and even the artist's freelance profession cannot escape the rigid structure of a nine-to-five work schedule. The pursuit of animalistic and material drives beneath human sociality once occupied a prominent place in the writings of philosophers like Jacques Derrida. This form of art differs from Arthur C. Danto’s notion of the “Transfiguration of The Commonplace,” as we, being subject to the tides of physicality, are part of this transformation. The sincerity in such discussions rests on a simple fact: our “daily life” has not yet truly formed, and we cannot ignore the decline of human materiality under the shadow of the ordinary. In this context, Huang Junnan's work, “So what if I’m an artist and I still have to get to work at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday in shoes that don’t fit me?”, mixes chalk and oil mediums on a large expanse of hazy gray. Simple brushstrokes depict the distorted limbs of a “Horse,” while fluorescent colors highlight the misplaced saddle and boots, anthropomorphizing the subject and accentuating its alien nature. Huang avoids creating a sense of seriousness in the painting, instead using subtle humor to express her discontent with labor rights and workplace dynamics as an artist. Additionally, she employs the metaphor of the “Horse,” a symbol that stems from her previous studies. This work reflects her transition from Western to Chinese painting techniques. The simplified horse form also embodies her comparison of differing aesthetic pursuits in Western and Chinese art. In Western art history, horses often express dramatic emotions and scenes, particularly in the Romantic and Impressionist periods, such as in the works of Géricault and Degas. In Chinese art history, however, horses are closely connected to nature, the cosmos, and the universe, with rich symbolic meaning, emphasizing the “spirit” of the horse. Huang’s ongoing dialogue between Western and Eastern aesthetics is conveyed through concise brushwork and traditional Eastern pigments, revealing the horse’s inner vitality and spirit. It is clear that her work is more concerned with conveying the essence and soul of materiality rather than anatomically precise depictions.
Furthermore, Huang Junnan has been actively fighting her depression. In November 2023, she established “Drawing Beyond the Words”, a workshop where her practice not only heals herself but also encourages viewers to reflect on their own narratives and experiences, offering a meditative and emotional journey. By connecting personal and collective experiences, Huang Junnan’s art fosters a sense of shared human connection. The American philosopher William James, in documenting his experience of depression, described the sensation of his body decaying into rigid material. As Huang Junnan emphasizes in many of her works, the so-called autonomy of art lies in the fact that both material and human existence inherently seek immortality. The only way to achieve immortality is to willingly enter a state of decay or rigidity, a paradox that only art can bear. In her workshop, Huang encourages viewers to examine conceptual ideas beyond verbal expression through the act of drawing. Each artwork becomes a channel for introspection and shared human experience, serving as a means of self-healing while connecting the micro-narratives of individuals and the collective. It is also a bold leap in the artist’s personal exploration and her desire to overcome illness.
Arthur C. Danto’s theory of “The End of Art” suggests that art must stop to allow for discussions of meaning and value. Huang Junnan’s ability to create art that resonates on both personal and universal levels, to some extent, strengthens the belief that art can transcend cultural, emotional, and spiritual divides. Ultimately, as she hopes: “My art seeks to create emotional and spiritual resonance, offering solace and reflection by portraying dream-like scenes and personal objects imbued with deeper meaning, while bridging the gap between personal isolation and shared human experiences.”
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Writen by Xu Hanyin
Universiti Malaya
Academy of Malay Studies, Fine arts