Artwork Description

Description: "Empty,"  the figure appears seated yet floating, like smoke or a cloud. Arms rest upon knees, head bowed inward with an ethereal aura. The form is both strong and soft, with a fluid presence shifting between abstraction and realism. The bronze “rock” is, in fact, driftwood from the seaside, textured and raw. On one side, the shape evokes a Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara) with hands in prayer, silently observing human suffering. Interpretation: What is a dream? What is the truth? What is companionship? These are questions sparked by Dream of the Red Chamber. Human thoughts and desires crowd the stage of life like an illusory play. In the end, only empty shells remain. Yet, at that final moment, spiritual clarity emerges. This work reflects karmic cycles, enlightenment, and the fleeting nature of human experience—perhaps this is where sages once sought their path. View more of our Contemporary artworks and Old Masters artworks

Empty

ByGao Feng
Available

L.E. 7/8, Bronze

34.5 x 13 x 13 in | 88 x 33 x 33

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Artist Biography

Gao Feng – Sculptor, born in Liaoning, China, 1972. Gao Feng graduated from the Sculpture Department of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in 1996 and earned his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University in 2009. Since 2002, he has been teaching in the Sculpture Department at the College of Fine Arts, Shenyang University. He currently lives and works between Vancouver and Shenyang.

Gao Feng – Sculptor, born in Liaoning, China, 1972.


Gao Feng graduated from the Sculpture Department of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in 1996 and earned his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University in 2009. Since 2002, he has been teaching in the Sculpture Department at the College of Fine Arts, Shenyang University. He currently lives and works between Vancouver and Shenyang.


Rooted in traditional Chinese philosophy and cultural heritage, Gao Feng’s sculptural language actively engages with contemporary issues and global aesthetics. Guided by the principle of “encountering the ancients, the West, the divine, and the people,” his practice blends classical thought with modern sensibility.


His materials—ranging from bronze and paper to mixed media—are not merely technical choices, but conceptual tools. Through refined craftsmanship and philosophical depth, Gao explores themes such as cultural continuity, spiritual introspection, identity, and the tensions between tradition and innovation.


Gao Feng’s works often reflect a contemplative quality, combining symbolic form with poetic abstraction. His approach invites viewers to reflect on the relationship between material and soul, the ancient and the present, the East and the West.


His major series include Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, A Changed World, Lotus Emerging, Studies on Appropriationism, and Diving in the Sea, Soaring in the Sky. His work has been exhibited in China, Canada, and internationally, and is held in both public and private collections.


Through decades of teaching and artistic exploration, Gao Feng has become an influential figure in bridging traditional Eastern values with contemporary artistic discourse.


View Gao Feng's CV

View more of our Contemporary artworks

and Old Masters artworks

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