Pang Jiun once said that “Colors are emotions”, there are no certain rules, but one must have a well-rounded considerations of such factors: the subject, environment, and lightings, in addition to emotions, in order for one to see the world with objectivity and subjectivity.

This painting “Lotus in Midsummer” the scene portrays a sense of vitality through mature brush strokes, simple colors. Then paired with gentle and elegant warm palettes to form a harmonious whole to express the energy and vitality of summer. The flowering lotus blossoms in the foreground are like curtains opening on to a scene of midsummer. Dragonflies and ladybugs show Pang Jun’s poetic scenery. It entices one to ponder upon the beauty of mother nature. Pang Jiun imbibes and transforms the realist tradition and a classical heritage of literati painting in deriving an artistic vocabulary that is uniquely his through his magnificent use of the color palette. The potent lines and simple figuration composed of a freehand style of calligraphic strokes and rhythms enhance the composition with the ethereal beauty of Western tradition, while it is further imbue by Pang’s unique ability to capture the essence of his subjects through the employment of a freehand (xieyi) approach reminiscent of the late Qi Baishi.