This is a painting done by artist Qiu Anxiong. The picture is completed in black and white, and portrays a lifeless scene with what looks to be a never-ending road. The artist could have painted this at the time because of what he was feeling or to try to describe how he saw and connected to civilization at that point in time. This relates to the novel in the way that they both seem hopeless and lost. The characters in the novel relate to this painting because they are desperate to find a way out of the world and to find themselves.
Actually, interestingly, this is a video image that runs in three channels (not sure what that means) for about 30 minutes, with sound. That idea is even more disturbing, I think, than what you suggest--the "never-ending road." Sort of a never-ending video loop.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of Gillian's caption. However, I wouldn't say that the characters are desperate to find a way out or to find themselves. The man and the boy are desperate to survive and find some good out of all the grief around them. If they were truly desperate to find a way out of the world, the man would've killed the boy and himself.
ReplyDelete