The words “black diamond” conjures an image of a rarity, of something exquisite and uncommon. In a way, Xue Mu’s Black Diamond series exude that same spirit of the pure filtering of existence. Though at first glance the series of signature Black Diamonds done over the years of her practice seem indiscernible from one another, in fact, each work is a distillation of thoughts and actions specific to that work. The movement of the lines is also reminiscent of action paintings, in that action and physical movement of the artist itself is a crucial and integral part of the work, arguably even more important than the artifact left behind. The artist started the series through mark-making as a way of imprinting the energy of the influence of Music and Dance with abstract graphite. In recent years the artist has been reflecting on lectures on critical theories of music and dance. The lines are both continuous and interrupted, chaotic and harmonious, loud and soft, unifying into a beautiful collaboration of movement and visual art.
Each work in her series demonstrates a uniqueness. In this work, the lines are pushed and shuffled around deliberately and with strong consciousness. The recent drawings of the artists are familiar and strong as the Black Diamond drawings remain a main stay for her study practice where she collaborates and creates new ideas and concepts for shows, performances and lectures. With years of familiarity and practice, the artist is now able to work quickly and swiftly on perfect strong and confident motion.