In the series of sculptures titled “Dreams” Chinese sculptor Wang Ruilin creates surreal animals that don’t act like animals at all. Their backs, and sometimes their antlers, function as arcs that carry monumental elements of nature like lakes and mountain cliffs. “Leaving individuals behind is painful”, admits the 29-year old sculptor, but it allows us to reduce confusion and see the value and force of life. Ruilin’s copper sculptures are the result of Eastern classical painting and imagery that’s been combined with past experiences. He recalls a life-changing incident when, at the age of 4 or 5, he encountered a painting of a horse by the artist Xu Beihong. He became obsessed with the vigorous animal and has ever since identified with it. The artist describes his creative process as digging deep into his heart and excavating “works that originally exist from various experiences.”
