The title "Shadow 2" has two different meanings. The first is the surface meaning which signifies the nature of the subject matter itself, as decay is often found in areas of deep shadow - a subject matter which has always fascinated me. The second meaning i.e. the symbolic meaning, deals with the metaphorical and psychological implications of the term. Carl Jung's psychological concept of "the shadow" is a part of the unconscious mind consisting of repressed weaknesses, shortcomings, and instincts which come bubbling to the surface which one is in darkness or in solitude. Just like the shadow, life is always hovering on the borderline between reality and fantasy. I believe that central to art creation is to engage in the search for the Shadow, as it is the only way to keep art in close touch with one's inner self. Paul Klee once commented that it is through our understanding that any object exceeds its own exterior appearance to possess more content and significance than can be seen with naked eye. I have always thought decay to be a magic object behind which there seems to be a spiritual force which also reaches my very inmost being. While I am terrified of this unknown spiritual force, I am also drawn to its seemingly tragic inspiration. The "Shadow" series was inspired by my fascination of decay, as I have always been interested in depicting the changing outlook of the decay and exploring its multiple implications. Decay signals a process of qualitative change, yet no one knows exactly how it will end up. It disconcerts many because it fringes between normality and abnormality, and presents threats when growing to a certain size. From a micro-scope point of view, decay can be seen to signal life and its evolution. I apply layers of dense brush strokes in order to convey the raging energy of life. During the creative process, the decay gradually shifts from being an object of the gaze to being the violent and passionate expression of my inner turmoil. In his "corpse poems" collected in The Flowers of Evil, Charles Baudelaire associates the corpse of a beast with a series of pleasing images, inspiring me to open my eyes and see things in a different light. As Baudelaire describes the nature of beauty, "You sow at random joy and disasters; you rule over all and respond to nothing," anything which can inspire revelations on the true nature of beauty - whether it sprang from dark void or descend from stars - would be celebrated for its aesthetic qualities. Like Baudelaire, I try to see ordinary things from fascinating, rare angles. This enables me to see beauty and humanity in the most unlikely of places. (Hsu Jui-Fu)