Xiaoyi Chen
Koan
Edition of 350
Chinese photographer Xiaoyi Chen uses the photogravure process to create extraordinarily beautiful prints on a variety of Japanese and other fine art papers. Chen's vision originates from immersion in Zen and Taoist philosophies: philosophies which, in contradiction to Western thought, emphasise the inadequacy of language and words, and the importance of intuition over reason and logic, to transform the self. In Zen Buddhism Koan is a story or riddle used to help in the attainment of a state of spontaneous reflection, free from planning and analytical thought.
The book's images, mostly landscapes, many taken in Iceland, often dissolve to abstraction. Chen's radiant images, in a complementary sequence and design, produce a photo book that provides an exhilarating visual experience.
