JinShi's "Mask"
                                                  --By Ourstanding Art

In his latest series of works titled ¡°Mask¡±, Jin Shi finds his inspiration from the famous Peking Opera, a purely Chinese art form which dates back to the year 1790. In Peking Opera, the various characters are each represented by their own distinctive facial painting, their ¡®lian pu¡¯ or face mask. The masks are ¡®color coded¡¯ to represent different characters and personality, such as yellow is for cunning, red is for loyalty, black is for wisdom. The ¡°sheng¡± (hero), ¡°dan¡± (heroine), ¡°chou¡± (clown) and other supporting roles each have their telltale facial make-up and decoration. 

The unique technique and materials which applied on Jin Shi¡¯s ¡°Mask¡± gives them a striking quality that captivates the viewer. The distinctive emotion of each of the characters seems coagulated, frozen in the rich texture of the artwork. As in Peking Opera, each player has his own predetermined role. Therefore, on another level, Jin Shi¡¯s ¡°Mask¡± is also a social commentary.  People should not be judged on their outward appearance - the mask that they wear, but to be appreciated their true nature behind the mask. In this way, Jin Shi¡¯s ¡°Mask¡± series has represented his own personal philosophy of life.