Spring 2025 - Back to the mountains
Over the course of several weeks in the mountain village, deep in the Liangshan Yi Prefecture of Sichuan, artist Han Yuchen painted not just portraits, but a story — a story made of numerous portraits.
A story woven from centuries of Yi tradition, captured through the stillness and dignity of each model, who wore her ceremonial attire with grace and quiet pride.
Each thread of their attire tells of ancient customs: the vivid embroidery on their chests represents blessings and protection; the pleated skirts in deep pink and navy speak of identity, humanhood, and resilience. Their headdress pieces, crowned with red pom-poms or long trailing braids, mirror the mountain peaks surrounding them — a symbol of strength, elevation, and rooted beauty.
Through oil and patience, Han Yuchen translates a cultural heritage onto canvas. Not only did he paint under the open sky, he painted with reverence for the land, for the people, and for the silence between generations.
This is not just art — this is living memory, shared between brush, model, and earth.
