Painting a Poem
Hung Liu, Mountain Ghost, 2012. Oil paint on canvas. By Chloe LeRoy, Graduate Class 2025 In this painting, Hung Liu interprets the poem Mountain Ghost or Mountain Spirit by the Chinese poet Qu Yuan (338-278 BC). The poem focuses on a Mountain Spirit who is longing for her lover. In the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution at the end of the 1970s, Qu Yuan became a symbol of intellectual freedom and individual integrity. By integrating traditional-style painting into this piece, Hung Liu creates an impactful fusion of symbols, tradition, and her contemporary perspective on his poem. Mountain Spirit by Qu...