Xi Hu, Hangzhou, China (Calligraphic Lotus Triptych)

In this triptych featuring dried lotus stalks in West Lake (Xi Hu), Lois Conner eliminates the horizon line and directs our gaze downward. The almost white, reflective surface of the water functions as a neutral ground against which the dark, broken forms of the lotus stalks and their reflections create angular, abstract designs reminiscent of Chinese calligraphy. This association is reinforced by the triptych’s imposing horizontality that alludes to the Chinese handscroll format. By enlarging the scale, Conner forces us to see nature as a source of abstraction. In contrast to traditional representations of lotus flowers in summer, Conner’s image presents a wintry scene, when the leaves are withered and submerged under the water and only the stalks and seedpods remain. This potentially bleak scene, however, is animated by the dynamic linearity of the lotus stalks.