Kuang Chu: The Vast Unknown
Zheng Liu, known by his pen name Kuang Chu, is a self-taught, multi-disciplinary artist. His work reflects a profound curiosity about the world and an exploration of personal solitude, resonating universally through its poetic and philosophical themes. Combining elements of both Eastern and Western art traditions, Kuang Chu’s creations can be described as a vibrant homage to storytelling, influenced by the aesthetics of pop culture, comics, and manga. Currently, Kuang Chu’s main focus is on his “Red Balloon” digital drawing series.
How did your creative journey begin?
It must be like when I was very young, I saw someone's artworks, and was shocked, touched, and moved by them. And then I got a strong intention to make something that could shock, touch and move others. So I was trying and trying and trying, failing and failing and failing. At a particular moment, I felt a core had formed in me, although I was not able to see it clearly. Then the core controlled, hijacked, or abducted me, just as a parasitic wasp's larva does to a caterpillar. I would do anything just for its growth. And now, it, my artwork, has taken its full shape. I know from my gut that I am already a "true" artist. Then, there is nothing I need to ask or explain to myself or anybody on the topic "why do I make art."
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
This is a question that's difficult to answer without responding too casually, so I'll try my best to answer it earnestly. I feel that my artistic creation has an energy core, somewhat like a nuclear submarine's reactor or Iron Man's Arc Reactor. It's fueled by things that happen in my solitude: the deeply impactful things I've observed, the truths about the world I've grasped, and the cosmic energy I've felt. Giving physical form to these almost tangible sensations is the enduring driving force of my creation.
As for the "ideas" themselves, many stem from my interests, primarily visual arts, natural history, and military history. I think the most important thing for an artist is to find a creative foothold, if you find it, you'll never lack ideas. Secondly, you must ensure that the rate of idea generation matches your creative output. If you're a cartoonist who needs to update social media daily, you need a massive supply of ideas; if you regularly take several months to complete a large piece, you don't need as many. I fall somewhere in between.
How has your work evolved over the last few years?
I am an artist driven by techniques, and I am currently learning new skills to prepare for a new series of artworks. Regarding the "Red Balloon" series, which I have been working on for over a decade, I initially aimed to create detailed black-and-white illustrations. As this project is processed, I am more and more drawn into the rabbit hole of old European engraving works, which conjure the spirit of the Renaissance and Age of Discovery–the curiosity toward the vast unknown in the world. This is an ever-evolving process, I am still working frantically to make my skills finally match the classical masters.
Another significant change occurred after I met my current wife, Tia Xia, in 2014, leading to a calm and happy life. As a result, the intense personal emotions present in the works created between 2012 and 2014 have diminished, replaced by a greater concern for the topics rising in the world.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you, and how has your art practice grown or changed?
My daily schedule is largely influenced by my wife, which means I usually go to bed between 1:00 and 2:00 AM and wake up between 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Besides creating visual art, I also need to buy groceries, cook, do various chores, engage in literary creation, and handle a lot of miscellaneous tasks. All these make each day quite frustrating. If I'm lucky and there are no extra tasks to manage, and if I didn’t have insomnia the night before, I will have two complete blocks of creative time—3:00 to 5:30 PM and 8:00 to 10:30 PM.
In addition, I have two principles regarding the use of time: first, I must ensure that I exercise for an hour and a half every day, which includes walking to the supermarket or mopping the floor. Second, whenever I feel tired, I take a nap.
Another factor that affects how I use my time is that I find it difficult to concentrate for long periods. My creative process involves careful planning followed by execution, with very little room for improvisation. Therefore, I am well-suited to creating elaborate works like the "Red Balloon" series, which require painstaking production.
As for my art practice growth or change, I used to create "real" or "analog" art with pen and ink, then turned to creating digital art for the pursuit of perfection. Today I restarted creating analog art because I am more confident in my skills.
Which experiences have impacted your work as an artist?
The biggest influence on my artistic creation has been the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, China implemented radical lockdown measures, which resulted in many tragedies and conflicted with my value of freedom. This sentiment is reflected in some of my politically focused works, such as Red Balloon: Intravenous Drip. Additionally, as everyone was confined to their homes, certain news stories gained greater attention, such as the report of a woman in China being chained in her husband's yard, which prompted me to create Red Balloon: The Chain. Ironically, it was the COVID-19 lockdown that gave me the ample time to dedicate myself to art, resulting in the completion of my body of work. It might seem politically incorrect to say that the pandemic brought me the most productive, and even happiest, period of my life, but there's a grain of truth in it.
How has social media impacted your work?
I've discovered many inspiring artworks on social media that serve as references and fuel my creativity. I've also known many people and gained numerous opportunities through it, such as learning about the Visionary Art Collective through Instagram. However, social media also exposes me to countless individuals who are more talented and successful than I am, leading to self-doubt and anxiety about my own social media skills. Overall, this is a difficult question to answer, as a time without social media feels like a distant past, almost a previous life.
Can you tell us more about the themes you explore in your work?
Although I don't like a single and concrete interpretation of an artwork, one would not be wrong in saying that the "red balloon" in my eponymous series is a symbol of hope, or a materialization of high spirit. Bright and always rising, the balloon is confronting, at the same time balancing the darkness and depression of the surroundings. Under the umbrella of the iconic "Red Balloon," each entry in this series has a different theme. For example, the theme of "Red Balloon: Leviathan” comes from a book written by Thomas Hobbes and published in 1651. The main idea of this book is that "people can only give up part or all of their freedom to a monstrous entity, to exchange for relative safety." This is really a paradoxical view of the world, which gives me an unsettling feel. To deal with that, I invented a body of symbols: animal skeletons with human skulls, and all these animal-human are attracted by the book the girl is reading: the title of this book is Leviathan. Another example is "Red Balloon: Withering Flowers。" In this work, I want to deal with the alienated feeling I got from my parents. We never understand each other, but they care about me so much, which saps them. I care about them too and feel sad to see their flower of life withering. Overall, the "Red Balloon" series explores, from a personal perspective, how individuals can maintain a healthy mindset while navigating this complex and turbulent world.
IG: @kuangchu.new
Website: https://kuangchuart.com/index.html