Author: Ben Taishing Lau

In 1976, Ben Lau was recognized as the greatest Oriental painter since Hokusai by Knox Martin. Ben Lau calls himself the Alpha Seer, meaning the one who is awaken to Beauty.

THE ROLE OF NARRATIVE IN PAINTING

Ben Taishing LauLeave a comment


Sun, 3 Jun 2007 10:46:05 -0700 (PDT)
From:
 “Ben Lau”
Subject:
 Isa going to Rica
To:
 “Ana” , “sam chan” , “Ito Emiko” , “Peteocell Esquire” , “ben fok” , “lee hughes” , “miira maya jain” , “nirmal/anita jain” , “jonathan.d.martin@census.gov” , “San Kiang” , “Benjamin Lai” , “May lai” , “Amy Lau” , “David Lau” , “Isabella Lau” , “Juliana Lau” , “Kathleen Lau” , “Yeeling Lau” , “powah leung”   

, “ingo lou” , “Henry Luk” , “knox martin” , “Olivia Martin”

, “Tom Master Ace” , “Microlambda@pacific.net.sg” , “karen monson” , “Andy Morien” , “mshields03@hamline.edu” , “aribert munzner” , “H Ng” , “kiu wah ng” , “Lynn Olson” , “david pan” , “tom paterson” , “paullou@telusplanet.net”

, “Greg Perrin” , “Janet Pladson” , “Lindagail Roy” , “Gabriela Ryan” , “takahira satoshi” , “scott simpson” , “swift196@aol.com” , “Asei Tendle” , “Wylie Wang” , “seiji watanabe” , “natalie wong” , “henry woo” , “jason yee” , “kenny yip” , “Bill Y. Zhou”

Isa Going To Costa Rica.jpg

Figure 1: Isa Going To Rica                            2006 linocut      Ben Lau

Isabella Lau will fly to Costa Rica to study
the changing behaviors of the macaws in relation to
global warming.
She had it planned for almost a year and finally
she gets to go with the blessings of her professor.
Her Dad Ben Lau adorned the occasion some time ago by painting
Isabella “Going to Costa Rica.”
The work is a million dollar job in spite of its
functional narrative, which appears to border on illustration.
Painting is essentially functional in its origin. One
is merely restoring that tradition in addition to the
ULTIMATE goal for all TRUE painting, sculpture,
poetry and music, namely,in their revelation of the
SUPREME MATHEMATICAL RELATIONSHIPS through the heart
and mind of a bona-fide genius of the discipline. (SMR
is an invented alternative name for Beauty by
the Alpha Seer Ben Lau. Incidentally, “Alpha Art” was
a term invented by Knox Martin to denote true art.) (re: www.knoxmartin.com)
Without that ultimate goal, a piece of work is
just an illustration–artistically worthless and deserving of
being torn down after a while like a picture in the
calendar.
Knox Martin’s Massacre of the Whales and Picasso’s
Guernica are narrative by nature, yet in their compositions one
finds the supreme mathematical relationships which are
the signs of great art.
In this lino-cut, Isabella Lau, ever so naive and
idealistic,look back admiringly towards the awesome,
stunningly beautiful Pacific with its black plumed
volcanoes and intriguing mermaid legends,(she is also
seen looking inward as if in deep contemplation,)and
happily strides inland.
Meanwhile, some local gentlefolks are waiting eagerly
to give her a surprise party. The mighty Mayor Boa
will make a welcome speech.)

 

The great master Knox Martin comments on this lino-cut :

From:
 “Knox” View Contact Details Add Mobile Alert
To:
 “Ben Lau”
Subject:
 Re: Isa going to Rica
Date:
 Sun, 3 Jun 2007 16:11:08 -0400
Top of Form

Bottom of Form

dearest ben—–keep up the good awesome work
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2007 1:46 PM
Subject: Isa going to Rica
> Isabella Lau will fly to Costa Rica tomorrow to study
> the changing behaviors of the macaws in relation to
> Global warming.
>> She had it planned for almost a year now and finally
> she gets to go with the blessings of her professor.
>> Dad adorned the occasion some time ago by painting
> Isabella “Going to Costa Rica.”
>> It is still a million dollar job in spite of its
> functional narrative, which borders on illustration.
>> Painting is essentially functional in its origin. One
> is merely restoring that tradition in addition to the
> ULTIMATE function of all TRUE painting, sculpture,
> poetry and music, i.e.,in the revelation of the
> SUPREME MATHEMATICAL RELATIONSHIPS through the heart
> and mind of a bona-fide genius of the discipline. (SMR
> is actually an invented alternative name for Beauty by
> the Alpha Seer Ben Lau. Incidentally, “Alpha Art” was
> a term invented by Knox Martin to denote true art.)
>> Without that ultimate function, a piece of work is
> just an illustration– worthless and deserving of
> being torn down after a while like a picture in the
> calendar.
>> Knox Martin’s Massacre of the Whales and Picasso’s
> Guernica are narrative in nature. Yet in them one
> finds the supreme mathematical relationships which are
> the signs of great art.
>> In this lino-cut, Isabella Lau, ever so naiive and
> idealistic,look back admiringly towards the awesome,
> stunningly beautiful Pacific with its black plumed
> volcanoes and intriguing mermaid legends,(she is also
> seen looking inward as if in deep contemplation,)and
> happily strides inland.
>> Meanwhile, some local gentlefolks are waiting eagerly
> to give her a surprise party. The mighty Mayor Boa
> will make a welcome speech.)
>>> Ben
>>>>
____________________________________________________________________________________
> Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search
> that gives answers, not web links.
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              ____________________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. http://mobile.yahoo.com/mobileweb/onesearch?refer=1ONXIC




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