In Pursuit of Light

Cen Long's Oeuvre S1 EP4 In Pursuit of Light


"The Pursuers of Starlight" is the sequel to "Shang." While "Shang" primarily describes a sense of sorrow, "The Pursuers of Starlight" portrays people in pursuit of hope and dreams. The multitude of beings, living amidst arduous suffering, find it very difficult. Thus, their main reliance is hope and ideals. Without these, it's challenging for them to carry on.

Stars appear in the night sky, so the people I depict are often active at night. You see a crippled person carrying a lamp, illuminating the path for those chasing starlight. They call out, encourage each other, and relentlessly pursue forward. The woman wearing a headscarf in the painting represents the woman from "Shang." She symbolizes a goddess of justice, inspiring people with her strength. The simple and earnest spirit of survival among these lower-class people represents the national spirit, the spirit of the masses. I want to portray people like the hardworking masses, their pursuits, and desires.

My thoughts are completely different from the current societal pursuits. Mine are the most primitive, fundamental, and grassroots spirit. They love peace and detest war. I believe this is the true vitality of a nation's spirit, not the bellicose and boastful promotion by the authorities. Our mindset is entirely different—it's about the simplest, most grassroots, folk culture, not national culture.

—As narrated by Cen Long, 2021