Ark Kollekt presents Cowhide Lacquer Painting by Liu Jiang for design/delight Shanghai. The Chinese artist imagines the patina of cowhide leather as emblematic of the passing of time, with the rich surface texture echoing both endurance and vitality.

Drawing influence from the profound impact of Zen meditation on his creative process, Jiang approaches cowhide with an understanding of its natural softness but capacity to harden once exposed. Jiang’s painting features poked holes that resemble the incremental transformation process of ignorance into awareness, reflecting the Zen understanding of one thought and one state.