Leo Gallery | Hong Kong
Lin Yusi: Form of Time
As dawn creeps through the window frame, as dusk paints the horizon, time slips away unnoticed in the ticking of moments. Yet the passage of time never reveals any form. It can be linear; it can be cyclical. We embrace space within the folds of time, yet often find ourselves left with nothing but frustrations in its formlessness. Grandly open on 4 December, 2025, this solo exhibition of Lin Yusi, Form of Time, will be presenting a series of works on paper created by Lin Yusi in 2025. Inviting every viewer to participate in this artistic and spiritual journey about time as we approach the end of the year.
Using paper as his canvas and pastel as his brush, the artist captures time within the two-dimensional realm, sketching its vibrant contours. The “Form of Time” series represents Lin Yusi's bold breakthrough beyond his artistic boundaries, abandoning his carefully constructed formal systems, and relinquishing his pursuit of sharp brushwork to return creation to its most authentic state. Each contact between fingertips and pastel is not a deliberate design but a natural response to the preceding movement. With spontaneous yet rhythmic strokes, pastel hues blend and diffuse across the paper. Soft pinks, delicate purples, and crystalline blues layer like the halos of time, constructing a misty yet tension-filled spacetime. Lines cease to be mere outlines of form; they become the trajectories of time's flow, sometimes surging like a mighty river, sometimes swirling like a vortex, sometimes resembling the folds of parallel dimensions. They present the linearity, cyclicality, and multidimensionality of time in a visual form before the viewer's eyes.
This pure creative approach, free from technical barriers, resembles an open dialogue with the self and with time. Here, time is no longer abstract but transforms into tangible colors and forms. Every trace of varying depth on the canvas, every touch of color is not a simple line or block of pigment, but a layered imprint of time, a precious snapshot of each movement made during creation. Approaching these works, we witness the vibrant forms time has taken. Through the brushstrokes, we sense the rare blend of relaxation and focus within this seasoned artist's creative process, a confidence born of professional expertise, coupled with the courage to transcend his own boundaries. As if following these traces, we retrace each moment of his dialogue with time. Within the resonance of art, we decipher time's unique poetry.
