Rayna Li, The Mountain Spirit, from The Nine Songs, 2022
Mixed media on wooden panel
15 x 21 in
My current work is part of a series inspired by a set of classical Chinese poems entitled The Nine Song, which is traditionally attributed to Qu Yuan (c. 343–278 B.C.). The poetry, which may represent ancient shamanistic dramas in sacrifice to a Mountain Spirit, consists of lyrics meant to be performed. While much of the text’s original pronunciation and spiritual contexts have been lost, its haunting imagery of “god-sent rain” and “deep, dark bamboo groves” continue to inspire artistic expression. My work is thus a personal effort to translate the poem’s emotional atmosphere into visual terms.
