Examining Cen Long's Painting Philosophy through Camus's Existentialism

"The plague stripped everyone of the power of love because love needs a bit of a future, and we are left with only moments." – Camus, "The Plague"

With the global spread of COVID-19, basic human life faces severe challenges. The virus, crossing borders, instills fear and uncertainty, challenging the resilience of the human spirit. Cen Long, an artist living in Wuhan, announced the city's lockdown on January 23rd this year, putting his life at risk and facing existential struggles. Amidst grief and sorrow, his once firm resolve now undergoes a severe test. This pandemic, a worldwide disaster, has nearly halted all economic activities, emphasizing the paramount importance of saving lives. I am reminded of Camus, an existentialist writer with a humanitarian perspective. Throughout his relatively short life of forty-seven years, he explored the meaning of existence, emphasizing the concept of "living in the moment" and living out one's values based on "human caring." In his major work "The Plague," Camus reflects on the terror of the plague and uses it as a metaphor for humanity's self-destructive "warfare." He condemns cruelty and ignorance while advocating for love and goodness, a stance he calls "rebellion."

Cen Long's artistic themes depict the survival patterns of ordinary people facing life's challenges. In his painting "A Windy Day" (2019), two sailors are seen struggling to pull taut the sails and set sail into the sea. To survive, they constantly confront various challenges posed by nature. This moment of battling a storm becomes a monument, capturing a glorious moment. The scene exists in a frozen dynamic, without a specific geographical location or identifiable nationalities. What the audience sees are the muscular bodies of the men and their fearless courage in the face of adversity. I am always deeply moved when I look at this painting because I imagine these men must be striving for survival without giving up, driven by love for their families. This resonates with Camus' notion in "The Plague": "What interests me is: living for what one loves, dying for what one loves." I recall a statement Cen Long made over a decade ago when I first met him: "I only paint for those I love and those who love me." His depictions of ordinary people always resonate with love for family, nature, and the universe, facing the hardships of everyday life without fear.

Besides the support of love, "courage" is essential for survival, especially in times of adversity. When suicide seems like the only choice, choosing to live positively and actively is the only remedy to combat the absurdity of life. This is the essence of Camus' existentialism and the reason Cen Long seeks to express through his art. Life is filled with hardships, and to survive, we must accept and coexist with them.

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, punished by the gods for angering them, is condemned to endlessly push a boulder up a mountain. Yet, each time he reaches the summit, the boulder rolls back down to the base, and Sisyphus must repeat the task in perpetuity. Camus, in "The Myth of Sisyphus," describes how Sisyphus is painfully aware of the absurdity of his fate, yet he decides to bear all the suffering with his willpower and "enjoys" the hardships. Thus, the punishment ceases to be punishment for him. Camus believes that Sisyphus is happy, asserting that one must accept reality and recognize the absurdity of life to have a chance of overcoming hopelessness. Cen Long's work "The Lonely Sailor" (2018) portrays a sailor working on a ship day after day, accepting the arrangements of life without complaints. He is lonely because he must endure all hardships alone, yet he also embraces this solitude because he knows he has no other choice. Laborers are a vital symbol in Cen Long's paintings, often concealed behind the protagonists. For Cen Long, life is always accompanied by suffering, and the only way forward is to face and overcome it without any other options. The sailor's body may seem fragile, but it holds infinite strength, bravely facing challenges without giving up. This painting celebrates the resilience of laborers in the face of survival and reveals Cen Long's determination as an artist, unwilling to go with the flow but advancing steadfastly despite solitude.

Camus portrays a divine aspect of humanity in this book, similar to Cen Long's depictions of ordinary people striving for survival in his paintings. These people endure hardships, maintain hope despite difficulties, and pursue a positive view of life. Cen Long consciously portrays his spiritual pursuits in the ordinary characters he creates, giving them noble qualities, pure characters, and a spirit willing to accept hardships and face adversity. In "Rising Tide" (2017), a painting of a female diver rowing under the starry sky, she looks divine. What we see in the painting is not just an ordinary woman but a divine ordinary person created by Cen Long.

I believe Cen Long is walking a simple but extraordinary path in painting. Everything he does is to make his paintings emit a mysterious glow, achieved through skillful black, white, and gray composition, and various textural treatments. He dreams of expressing in his paintings the divine light bestowed by heaven. This brings to mind the quote by Romain Rolland: "I cannot bear to see the light buried." Cen Long seems to be creating art to guard the light bestowed by heaven upon humanity. This is why I deeply respect Cen Long. In the rapid progress of modern society, which can change dramatically within a day, people are prone to overlook the existence of the soul and spirit. Cen Long's paintings bring a world of strength and hope, infecting the audience like the Southern Cross, providing direction and courage.

Source｜Artemperor / Author｜Metra Lin

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