Lindong Duan‘s current works primarily focus on the theme of “hands.” In his view, hands and faces are the two most important components of human emotional expression, yet they differ: facial expressions are direct and overt, whereas the expression of hands is more subtle and reserved, carrying inner emotions that are not easily perceived. This subtlety is likely linked to his introverted nature, which has become a continuous visual theme in his work.
He tends to extract ordinary, often overlooked moments from daily life and freeze them within his compositions. The choice of tempera as a medium is deliberate: its soft, matte texture aligns with the restrained and delicate emotions he aims to convey. Moreover, tempera builds the image through layered lines, and its slow creation process inherently embodies a sense of “time.” In his paintings, this time is translated into visible traces, preserved through countless lines. Thus, although the scenes appear static, they essentially consist of a continuous process made up of innumerable “time segments,” recording the passage from beginning to end. In this sense, his work also contains a dimension that transcends the static image.