绕梁三日 - Reverb

Emilia Z.

Acrylic on canvas

• Artist Statement

  “绕梁三日” is a Chinese idiom describing the sound of music lingering in the air for three days even after its source has stopped. It comes from a Warring States legend of a woman who sang at the gates of the capital city each day to make a living, leaving a significant impression on the people. These music players grace San Francisco Chinatown’s Commercial Street throughout the week playing traditional Chinese folk songs, inviting pedestrians—tourists and locals alike—to join them in the plastic seats in front of them. This communal quality lasts in the air even when the music is gone, inspiring interconnection between those that call Chinatown home and those eager to learn about the bright neighborhood.

• Creative Statement

  Art offers a shared language to express social messages that bridge differences and build community. Creativity, to me, is the ability to communicate these messages from a non-verbal form in yourself to a visual form, whilst allowing the audience to find personal interaction and connection with the art.