Artist brings the healing power of Eastern aesthetics to New York

The mythological text Shanhaijing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) says that in the northern seas there lives a fish called kun, whose size is immeasurable, and that it can transform into a bird called peng, which when it spreads out its wings, can block the whole sky. The term kunpeng thereafter embodies a Taoist concept that all things in the world are changeable.

The painter Jia Wei uses and enriches the philosophical implications of kunpeng, depicting it as a symbol of breakthrough and freedom.

The artist recently took his kunpeng to New York where he exhibited a variety of paintings including Ruhua, a series that centers on a small girl of the same name. Jia created this character as a form of art therapy, aiming to bring the power of healing to the audience and to give them the confidence to confront life's obstacles. Also on display are paintings that have won awards both at home and abroad.