San Giovanni di Malta - The Constellations: Cen Long + His Works

Cen Long’s newest collection shown during the 58. Venice Biennale and curated by Metra Lin creates a divine and approachable atmosphere through the works of Cen Long combining profound artworks and the solemn beauty of the church. Long’s paintings, like the glistening constellations in the night sky, deliver hope and love to all, purifying our hearts. The solo show is organised by Hann Art Agency and will be accompanied by Hope, a special event during the opening week in a fusion of art, music and choreographed dance creating an immersive experience that flows through the impressive church setting.

The Constellations: Cen Long and His Works is an exhibition that explores the three phases of life: genesis, journey, and attainment of meaning. Childhood is represented by nursing, rearing, and familial joy as Ode to Life captures the tender moment when life begets life. On the journey of life we see The Pearl Fisher’s Rite, depicting a dynamic moment in the lives of pearl fishers as they push their boats ashore, a shore that witnesses the never ending cycle of their continuous labour, reverberating with the echoes of their singing calls. The pearl fisher holding the torch not only indicates the nighttime setting but symbolises Cen Long’s attitude to life – only hope can illuminate and justify the weight of living.

Finally, Cen Long looks back in reflection, from the culminating point of our search for meaning. He introspectively evaluates the ambiguity and contradictions inherent in human activity of all kinds. He affirms the determined insistence and resistance in the face of life’s struggles in the exultant dance of survival, the unwinding of a life history. Through this act, the human soul achieves gratification, justification, and an actualisation of peace – the apotheosis of out journey. In The Constellations, a shepherdess gazes up at a guiding star and navigates her returning path by the patterns of the firmament. After all, have the sky and the stars not always encoded the clarity and hope, which is the essence of our life on earth?

Cen Long has devoted his life’s work to an exposition of humanity’s essence. He strives for an idea: to announce the most profound meanings with the stylistics methods closest to real life, thereby making his art a bridge to communicate profoundly with any audience. It is this fundamental goal which drives his insistence of expressing artistic insights through realistic techniques; through the universal intelligibility of this style the audience may effortlessly fall through the canvas and traverse the universe of aesthetic moral values: love, kindness, hope and strength. Through Cen Long’s style, underlying philosophy, and tireless effort we gain an insight into his true intentions. He aspires to paint guiding stars for the era of modernity, to help us all recover hope and peace from the sound and fury of our time.

San Giovanni di Malta