Now screening: Shirazeh Houshiary, 'Silk Road Notes'

18 January 2021

This newly released video, produced by the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) Museum in Beijing, documents Shirazeh Houshiary's inspiring visit to the Cave Temples of Dunhuang, a UNESCO World Heritage site on China’s Silk Road.

A long-awaited trip, Houshiary was fascinated by the stories of the Silk Road as a child, noting that "the Silk Road to me was like a moment in history when cultures seemed to open up to each other". Deeply moved by the richness of the colours, the unique regional characteristics, and the variety of depictions of the Buddha on the murals and statues in the Mogao Grottoes, Houshiary's inspiration from the trip manifested in a series of deeply personal, philosophical paintings, some of which were included in the artist's exhibition at Lisson in Shanghai last year.

Watch in full here.