Joe! This Guy
Artist
Joewll (Wei Erqiao)
Curator
Du Xiyun
2024.10.12 – 2024.11.13
我不想做蝙蝠，也不想做个梦游者。
今后的日子会怎样？现在也还猜不出。走走看吧。
I don’t want to be a bat, nor a sleepwalker.
What will the days ahead be like? I still can’t guess. Let’s just walk and see.
—— Joewll (Wei Erqiao)，excerpted from Sleepwalking Handbook
今后的日子会怎样？现在也还猜不出。走走看吧。
I don’t want to be a bat, nor a sleepwalker.
What will the days ahead be like? I still can’t guess. Let’s just walk and see.
—— Joewll (Wei Erqiao)，excerpted from Sleepwalking Handbook
As a painter, Joewll possesses a remarkable ability to translate invisible abstract truths into vivid and concrete images, allowing viewers to perceive deeper truths hidden beneath the surface of the phenomenal world. The vibrant and elegant scenes he creates, through their powerful sensory appeal, enable viewers to more deeply and subtly digest philosophical insights that were previously dry and difficult to grasp. The insights of wise sages and philosophers are thus shared with a wider audience in a light and engaging manner. At the same time, the transformation of abstract truths into concrete forms creates a different kind of concreteness that transcends the realm of tangible reality, captivating and enchanting many, enriching our inner world.
Human being is the vessel of culture. Joewll, with a prodigious memory, has absorbed and integrated a wide range of knowledge and cultivated profound depths in each, even eliciting envy from experts. What is even more remarkable is his ability to translate this accumulated knowledge into a visual spectacle, instantly igniting the retinas of viewers while simultaneously sparking cerebral fireworks and heartfelt emotion. This extraordinary talent, defying logic, can only be attributed to a peculiar grace bestowed by heaven.
Joewll, steeped in knowledge, is well-versed in countless anecdotes, but he freely unfolds them in his paintings, employing ingenious composition to achieve surprising aesthetic effects. His effortless fluency and mastery of a single stroke are evident. He seems to effortlessly conjure imagery, and from the simplicity of a sheet of paper, vibrant and tangible scenes emerge, as if they had been dormant, waiting for him to discover and activate them.
In his paintings, the lively charm and elegant humor of his brushstrokes, simple yet profound, are captivating. Even the abundance of symbolic elements in his work are not rigid or conceptual, but are vibrant and concrete, brimming with interest and allure. A glimpse into the vast reservoir of imagery and diverse stylistic influences within his mind’s eye can be found in his numerous complete works and sketches. His keen intuition, skillful hand, innate talent, unwavering diligence, and the encouragement of close friends and neighbors have propelled this shy, talented doctor, who painted in his spare time, to produce a prolific body of work in a fleeting lifetime. He seamlessly blends his desires and philosophical thoughts, transforming them into tangible, visceral emotions that are both immediate and timeless.
Human being is the vessel of culture. Joewll, with a prodigious memory, has absorbed and integrated a wide range of knowledge and cultivated profound depths in each, even eliciting envy from experts. What is even more remarkable is his ability to translate this accumulated knowledge into a visual spectacle, instantly igniting the retinas of viewers while simultaneously sparking cerebral fireworks and heartfelt emotion. This extraordinary talent, defying logic, can only be attributed to a peculiar grace bestowed by heaven.
Joewll, steeped in knowledge, is well-versed in countless anecdotes, but he freely unfolds them in his paintings, employing ingenious composition to achieve surprising aesthetic effects. His effortless fluency and mastery of a single stroke are evident. He seems to effortlessly conjure imagery, and from the simplicity of a sheet of paper, vibrant and tangible scenes emerge, as if they had been dormant, waiting for him to discover and activate them.
In his paintings, the lively charm and elegant humor of his brushstrokes, simple yet profound, are captivating. Even the abundance of symbolic elements in his work are not rigid or conceptual, but are vibrant and concrete, brimming with interest and allure. A glimpse into the vast reservoir of imagery and diverse stylistic influences within his mind’s eye can be found in his numerous complete works and sketches. His keen intuition, skillful hand, innate talent, unwavering diligence, and the encouragement of close friends and neighbors have propelled this shy, talented doctor, who painted in his spare time, to produce a prolific body of work in a fleeting lifetime. He seamlessly blends his desires and philosophical thoughts, transforming them into tangible, visceral emotions that are both immediate and timeless.
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About the Artist
Joewll (Wei Erqiao)
Joewll (1964-2007), who was born in Harbin and worked as a deputy chief cardiologist, drew most of his paintings during his spare time on the night shift at the hospital, and painted them on the paper he used to prescribe drugs to patients, using the same pen he used to write prescriptions.
His works have been used as illustrations for books by Ma Yuan, Zhou Guoping, Han Shaogong and other writers and scholars, including Hai Zi’s poetry collection “Facing the Sea, With Spring Blossoms” and Huang Jinxing’s “Reeds of Thought”, demonstrating his wide influence in the field of art. He is also an excellent illustrator for “Readers” and “Southern Weekend”. He has illustrated nearly 5,000 pictures for more than 10 books, published more than 50 works such as “Western Philosophy Comics” series and “Sleepwalking Notes”, and created nearly 7,000 frames of illustrations.
His works are not only visual enjoyment, but also contain profound insight into the nature of life and human nature. His paintings, like his words, are a revelation of his understanding and thinking, showing his unique understanding of life and art. He used very few lines and simple patterns to illustrate ancient Greek philosophy. In the few words of Joewll, it is clear that his work has always brought people to ponder, has infinite implications, and still affects countless people today.
His works have been used as illustrations for books by Ma Yuan, Zhou Guoping, Han Shaogong and other writers and scholars, including Hai Zi’s poetry collection “Facing the Sea, With Spring Blossoms” and Huang Jinxing’s “Reeds of Thought”, demonstrating his wide influence in the field of art. He is also an excellent illustrator for “Readers” and “Southern Weekend”. He has illustrated nearly 5,000 pictures for more than 10 books, published more than 50 works such as “Western Philosophy Comics” series and “Sleepwalking Notes”, and created nearly 7,000 frames of illustrations.
His works are not only visual enjoyment, but also contain profound insight into the nature of life and human nature. His paintings, like his words, are a revelation of his understanding and thinking, showing his unique understanding of life and art. He used very few lines and simple patterns to illustrate ancient Greek philosophy. In the few words of Joewll, it is clear that his work has always brought people to ponder, has infinite implications, and still affects countless people today.