Dr. Li Wenliang Portrait

This portrait of Dr. Li Wenliang, started as a live painting at the beginning of the pandemic.

Dr. Wenliang was a Chinese ophthalmologist who warned his colleagues about early COVID in Wuhan. Dubbed a whistleblower when his report circulated publicly, Wuhan police detained him for three days and admonished him. He died from Covid-19, February 7th, 2020, at age 33. (My late brother’s birthday – one of the reasons this was difficult to complete.)

The shape of the celtic knot, wrapped around Dr. Li Wenliang, represents a coin, the driving source of decision making for any society. The red Chinese Serpent symbolizes the Emperor and Government of China. It sits upon the symbol for lies as it squeezes Hope from the rabbit. The “moon hare” makes the elixir of immortality, the healing potion in his special gourd. The gourd is popular as a charm symbol to ward off evil spirits and disease. If the rabbit is the Hope of the people, may it survive the harshest conditions.

The teal knot lined in orange is closed, representing eternity. On the right, just above the Hare, is the knot for Wisdom. This thread of the design represents the life force of the people of China.

Dragons play with balls at the Lantern festival where it represents wisdom and are connected to marriage as the way to select a suitor. In this case, corporations at the ready. Our emperor holds tightly to books, controlling knowledge and restricting information. He’s biting his own tail. The ouroboros is a dragon eating its tail, commonly symbolizing rebirth, immortality, eternity, self-reliance and unity. However, this guy is biting (not eating) a tail coiled. A spiral denotes expansion. Pretty difficult to evolve when freedom of speech and information, and knowledge are so tightly restricted.