A RIOT OF FLOWERS:
THE ART OF HE QI,CHINESE ARTIST
In these pictures the viewer finds a kind of summary of He Qi's pictorial program
and his theology. He is clearly offering a Christian message of peace in the
midst of turmoil. Tension and rest are overseen by the benevolent monumentality
or, better, the monumental benevolence - of the gesturing Jesus. He has combined
medieval line, Chinese cultural types, and modern artistic devices. There is
a rich panoply of color throughout the picture surface: the vestments of many
colors evoke a rainbow after the storm, or suggest multi-faceted light refracted
from a prism.....
He Qi presents us with art that connects us to the biblical story in a fresh,
even a surprising way. He is both story-teller and evangelist in his art. He
is not only preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, but he is also conveying a
message that transcends cultural types. In seeking to de-westernize the Christian
story, he is trying to open our eyes to the universal implications of the larger
and all-encompassing narrative of God's love for all creation.
It is expected that He Qi's work will appear on book covers, calendars, and
other publications - just like the work of his old friend Watanabe.
By Robert Brusic
St.Paul Luther Seminary Pastor
<ARTS~THE ARTS IN RELIGIOUS AND THEOLOGICAL STUDIES>
Volume 9, Issue 3,1997
www.heqiarts.com
Copyright © 2001, He Qi