Ink Stories of Myth, Memory, and Gentle Monsters

The retrospective Thus I Have Heard offers an immersive glimpse into the visionary world of Lin Yusi, one of the most refined Chinese artists working in the field of so-called "new ink." The exhibition takes viewers on a journey through imagination, irony, and the reinvention of classical themes, articulated through three emblematic series: Tulpa, Line Man, and Bad Croissant.
In Tulpa, Lin crafts landscapes suspended between dream and reality, where human and animal figures inhabit poetic silences in harmony with nature. Line Man is a daily drawing practice that brings to life ghostly characters inspired by Chinese supernatural folklore, filtered through intentionally imperfect recollections. The most surprising series, Bad Croissant, sees Lin reimagining the “villains” of the classic Journey to the West with a pop sensibility and gentle humor, revealing their hidden humanity. Born in 1978, Lin Yusi blends a deep mastery of traditional Chinese painting with a distinctly contemporary and personal vision. His work - rooted in technical precision and fantastical storytelling - invites us to rethink art as a daily practice of exploration, poised between memory and invention.