ABOUT THE WORK

To appreciate the works of Lao Lianben is to bask and be comfortable in the silence. Deeply and creatively inspired by Zen Buddhism, the majority of his minimalist masterpieces are influenced by this deeply held fascination of his. From begging bowls to monks, the impregnable image of Buddha and his teachings often find their way into his works. His 2009 Enlightenment captures a central tenet of Buddhism. Named after the tenet mentioned above, enlightenment is a state of being inherent to all. Buddhism believes everyone is capable of realizing such a lofty status, should one be intentional in reaching that awakened state. In this work, Lao’s elongated canvas depicts the vague approximation of a human body, a wisp in the wind as the person recognizes their impurities and lets them go. In the same vein, his 2009 Man of Few Words follows Enlightenment’s minimalism. Using a similar rectangular canvas, the vague outline of a man is depicted, almost fading away into nothingness as Lao uses only the barest of paint to paint the man. Above his head is a faint circle, perhaps a halo or something else entirely. As its title suggests, the work says so little, making its viewers scramble to provide their own interpretations as one is wont to do when they face obstinate and prevailing silence. Lao’s works invite its viewers to meditate on its minimalism. Enlightenment is intuitive, the purifying effect of meditation evident as one views the person let go of their impurities; on the other hand, Man of Few Words portrays Lao’s mastery of utilizing the ebb and flow of tension with only little elements. There is a draw within both these works, pulling in viewers who are challenged to be comfortable in the silence long enough to hear whatever it is these works want to tell them. Viewing Lao’s works means utilizing all of one’s senses to appreciate it fully. As professor and Lao collector Leovino Ma. Garcia writes for Black Water: A Monk’s Dream, “Be drawn into a silence that speaks of compassion and joy. Like the empty bowl of a Buddhist monk, his paintings here, in their bare simplicity, offer an inexhaustible feast for thought.” “In Lao’s paintings, discreet silence turns eloquent. His paintings speak to you, but only after you approach them in silence,” a Lao exhibition catalog writes. “To truly appreciate Lao’s silence then, one has to be blessed with the patience to pay attention for a long time and the perseverance to listen for even a longer time. Only then, perhaps, can one finally hear the paintings imploring you: ‘You must change your life!’” (Hannah Valiente)