From One to All Things

Combining the artistic languages of Chinese calligraphy and sculpture, Arista Lee reinterprets the Eastern philosophical view of the cosmos through From One to All Things.

According to ancient Chinese mythology, the world emerged from primordial chaos and was brought into being by the giant Pangu. After his death, different parts of his body transformed into the mountains, rivers, plants, celestial bodies, and other elements of the natural world.

Nature follows its own underlying order, known as the Dao. The philosopher Laozi expressed this process in the famous passage: “The Dao gives birth to One; One gives birth to Two; Two gives birth to Three; Three gives birth to all things.” The passage describes a process in which all things emerge and evolve from an original source.

Inspired by this philosophy, Arista Lee transforms the Chinese calligraphic character “一” (One) into sculpture. As the beginning of the natural numbers, “一” also represents the fundamental origin from which complexity and multiplicity gradually emerge.

Viewed from left to right, the sculpture reveals several fish-like forms gradually emerging from a state of primordial chaos. As the forms evolve, they ultimately become a complete fish, its fins appearing to propel it outward into the world.

All complexity and diversity emerge from an original simplicity.