Loneliness, depression, insomnia – these are the fragments of life that make their way onto the canvases of Qiu Dandan’s series Xu She (墟舍). The series’ Chinese title directly translates to “empty house” in English, but there is another layer of meaning behind the seemingly straightforward title. The word “empty” (墟) in Chinese is a homophone for the word “imaginary” (虚); this was a clever phonetic wordplay that alludes to both the surreal qualities of the series as well as the underlying theme of alienation. Comprised of bizarre, dream-like scenarios, Xu She is a visual reinterpretation of Qiu’s past experiences and pent-up emotions.
孤独、抑郁、失眠，这些细碎的情绪，被浓缩在一方小画布里，以黑白双色细致地描绘出人物与场景的关联——这是来自艺术家邱丹丹的系列作品《墟舍》，意为“虚构/虚幻的场所”。其中所有画的创作来源，都来自于艺术家情绪积累的产物，各种臆想或者梦境片段的再加工。
With a keen understanding of human nature, Qiu channels the anxiety and isolation of modern life through her poignant images. Many of her other works, such as the animated series Shi Mian (失眠), which means “Insomnia” in English, touch on similar motifs. All in all, her art isn’t meant to be merely viewed and appreciated – it aims to elicit empathy. “Everyone experiences loneliness, struggle, and hardships,” she states. “We are all subjects and observers. All of us experience pain and meaningless grief. I’m no exception.”
邱丹丹笔下的画，有些荒诞，有些落寞，但作为读者，更多的则是有些“感同身受”。邱丹丹其它的作品，比如动画系列《失眠》也涉猎到相似的主题。她对于人的心理有着天然敏锐的洞察力，因此捕捉到了现代社会人人难以言述的焦虑和孤独感。“每个人在生活里都会经历孤独、挣扎和困境，所有人都既是亲历者又是旁观者，各种庞大的、细碎的痛楚或低靡，填充于生命的各个部分。我自然也不例外。”邱丹丹说。
While growing up in Guizhou, Qiu has experienced first-hand just how unpredictable life can be and bore witness to the best and worst of human nature. These workings of society have given Qiu extensive material to draw from. “I won’t create an image based on any specific event, but all events. Everything I’ve seen and experienced form the foundation of my creative process. I’m deeply intrigued by our social behavior, but at the same time, I’m deeply disappointed by society. Human existence is based around unpredictability and absurdity.”
社会带给邱丹丹和她的作品以巨大的影响。“我不会针对某件事去创作一张画，但所有的事，所有的见闻感受，必然是构成我创作的基石。”在小城市出生和长大的邱丹丹，见识过很多人性的善与恶，甚至也不乏听闻凶险和无常。“总的来说，我既对人类社会充满浓厚兴趣，又对人类社会充满了失望。无常和荒诞是生命的主题。”
