Lotus with Butterfly (荷花 與彩蝶)

Curator

Luke Chapman

Mediha Ting's work establishes a temporal dialogue with Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining, 郎世寧), the Italian Jesuit missionary and court painter who served at the Qing court during the 18th century. By choosing the lotus and butterfly motif - classical subjects in Chinese painting - Ting engages with the artistic lineage that Castiglione himself navigated as he merged European painting techniques with Chinese aesthetics. The work's execution demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of both traditional Chinese artistic principles and contemporary approaches. The use of metallic tones against the black ground creates an effect that simultaneously honors traditional ink painting while establishing a distinctly modern vocabulary. The precision in the botanical details echoes Castiglione's renowned attention to natural forms, while the contemporary medium and execution firmly place this work in our present moment. The piece stands as a refined exploration of how historical artistic traditions can be reinterpreted through contemporary materials and sensibilities.