Symbol refers to the use of specific things as a metaphor for special meaning. In artistic creation, the author conveys a more plentiful connotation by describing the elements related to the subject and giving them an indirect implication. This thesis will focus on the symbolist landscape painting and the exploration of the nature of life in landscape painting in which I perfuse, as well as the analysis of my creative experience. The structure of this paper is as such: Firstly, I will discuss the literatures on landscape painting. Secondly, I will analyse symbolist paintings, and, thirdly, I will make comparisons between symbolist paintings and surrealism and magical realism, which are similar to symbolism in their style. On the other hand, in regards to the theories that explore the nature of life, I will start both religious and philosophical points of view, with which I am more familiar, and express the contemplation about the essence of life in a symbolic way. Finally, I will sort out my creative context, revealing the content of this research and the scope of this paper.
I have always wanted, through representational realistic painting, to convey the essence of life and contemplate about the truth of all things in nature, and these are done effectively by employing symbolic point of view as well as symbolic ways creation. At present, the themes of my creations are mainly landscape painting, since such creations allow me to integrate both Eastern and Western theories about the essence of life. The “origin” of Oriental Buddhism expresses the thought that the coming-into-being or the emergence of all things is in accordance with the conditions. In addition, my research also focuses on "five aggregates” as the elements of all things. Charles Baudelaire’s theory of “Correspondances”, of which the creative thinking is full of metaphors, originated through the observation of nature and the experience of the interdependence of all things as well as the relationships between each other.
The purpose of this thesis is, through the research and creation of landscape painting, to examine my own thoughts and creative trajectory, to explore the relevance of my works to symbolic painting, and to imprint in creative connotations the philosophical and religious views about the nature of life. I expect to establish self-creation style and theoretical system in a more complete way.
