Painting the Dao

98 ak20.55 A Strange Affinity Ink and watercolour on cloud-dragon paper 186 × 48 cm, Hong Kong, October 2020 Four artist seals 水松石山房 Shuisongshi shanfang (Water, Pine and Stone Retreat) 竹虛老人 Zhuxu laoren (Old man as empty inside as bamboo) 石狂 Shikuang (Stone fool) 養石閒人 Yangshi xianren (Idler who cherishes stones) inscr iption In the deepest recesses of the psyche there is an affinity between aesthetes and strange stones, walking staves and incense smoke. Realised in the Gorge at either dawn or dusk – it is difficult to tell once time becomes irrelevant. Inscribed by the Master of the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat at the Garden at the Edge of the Universe in the late autumn of 2020.