Chinese artist Yang Yongliang creates incredible detailed artwork that combines traditional Chinese landscapes with images of city and urban living.
Yang Yongliang
Viridescence No. 1 (2009) —
"The growth of the city and fast speed of growth have a strong impact on my work," Yang says.
Yang Yongliang
From the New World detail shot (2014) —
The title of this piece comes from Dvorak's Symphony No. 9. which Yang listened to constantly while he worked on this piece.
Yang Yongliang
From the New World detail shot (2014) —
Yang believes his digital style of art was a genuine evolution from his background of traditional landscape painting. After he learned computer art, computer imaging and photography he says, "I was just trying to use the new language that I was taught to express something that is deep in my mind which goes back to traditional paintings."
Yang Yongliang
From the New World (2014) —
He uses digital image combination techniques to create his art. "My work is trying to express the witnessing of the growth of a city and how tradition is getting replaced by modern architecture and industrialized city lives," he says.
Yang Yongliang
A Bowl of Taipei No. 5 (2012) —
From Shanghai to Taipei, the photos that Yang uses for his digital compositions come from various cities.
Yang Yongliang
From the New World detail shot (2014) —
"My art is about pretty general questions about globalization and urbanization instead of any specific event or social issues," says Yang.
Yang Yongliang
From the New World detail shot (2014) —
Yang likes the use of black and white because he believes it seems more surreal.
Yang Yongliang
Cigarette Ash Landscape (2007) —
For this installation, Yang printed cityscapes on canvas and hung them from a PVC tube to resemble a large cigarette.
Yang Yongliang
A Wolf and Landmines (Silent Valley series, 2012) —
A series of work from 2012, each subtitle features a hidden artificial weapon and a threat from nature.
Yang Yongliang
Viridescence No. 2 (2009) —
Mostly known for his monochromatic color palette, Yang has experimented with color in the past. Viridescence means the state or quality of being green or greenish.
Yang Yongliang
From the New World detail shot (2014) —
This four by eight-meter work took Yang six months to complete.
Yang Yongliang
From the New World detail shot (2014) —
Yang's process with the exception of a stray pencil sketch is completely digital.
Yang Yongliang
Left: Heavenly City -- Untitled No. 1, right: Heavenly City -- Untitled No. 2 (2008) —
Even as Yang has progressed to other mediums, his work has always been a commentary on urbanization.
Yang Yongliang
Wintery Forest in the Night (from the series Artificial Wonderland II, 2014) —
This piece replicates a painting from the Song Dynasty, Wintery Forest in the Snow, in Yang's digital style.
Yang Yongliang
Wintery Forest in the Night detail shot (2014) —
The original work featured snowy mountains, so Yang wanted to set his at night, in order to create the impression of snow using lights.
Yang Yongliang
Wintery Forest in the Night detail shot (2014) —
This is the first time Yang integrates images of natural mountains into his artificial landscape. The images are mostly from mountains in Iceland and Norway.
Yang Yongliang
Wintery Forest in the Night detail shot (2014) —
When Yang started creating his visual landscapes, he did not want to tell a story, but instead express a feeling.
Yang Yongliang
Left: Phantom Landscape I -- No. 1, Right: Phantom Landscape I -- No. 4 (2006) —
"It was my general awareness of my beliefs, big ideas instead of an example. It's more of how I feel overall toward changes and two different cultures."