When I was selecting series to include in the exhibition, I was thinking about a notion in Chinese philosophy and culture close to the Western formulation of individuation. The reason was not just my artistic focus, but also my desire to bring my work closer to the Chinese audience.

So the metaphysical framework of 天人合一 (Tiān Rén Hé Yī) - "The Unity of Heaven and Humanity" seems to provide the context for self-cultivation. Individuation, in this light, is the realization of this unity. The ultimate stage of personal development is not just becoming a complete self, but experiencing the profound connection between that self and the entire universe. The individual's small self (小我, xiǎo wǒ) expands to become one with the great Self (大我, dà wǒ) of the cosmos.

The concept of 天人合一 (Tiān Rén Hé Yī) —the unity of Heaven and Humanity—is not just an abstract metaphysical idea in Chinese culture. It is the very soul of its highest artistic expressions. The artist does not merely 'represent' this unity; through the disciplined act of creation, the artist 'enacts' it, striving to become a conduit through which the Dao (道) manifests in the world.

That profound connection between self and the entire universe became the main idea of the exhibition, with a suitable title: 小我 / 大我 (small self / great Self).