Dorothy Yung Gives Voice to Traditional Chinese Feminism:
The traditional Chinese culture has predominantly been written and driven through a male voice. For hundreds of years, the role of women has been that of submissive support. A cheerleader for her husband, caretaker for her children, given the most credit, when raising strong male sons and teaching her daughters that a woman’s place is in the home. Traditional male roles in China are strong, honorable, sacrificial warriors. However, for modern day artist, Dorothy Yung, her view of Chinese history is much different. Dorothy will not argue that males played a dominant role in the family, business and politics. Still, when you dig a little deeper into their stories, when you genuinely listen to messages and text that resonate over the years, there is a more significant lesson to be learned.
Strong Female Voices
Dorothy Yung hears strong female voices that have molded a deeply rooted, spiritual strength and guiding light that leads Chinese families towards prosperity and happiness. Admittedly these stories, these lessons, are much bigger than Chinese history; they are much deeper than a fight against oppression and revolution. Dorothy Yung doesn’t necessarily even call herself a “feminist” in the way the West defines it. This modern-day artist looks at female roles through an unexpected lens, not one that competes for the honorable, sacrificial, warrior role, but one that transcends physical strength. Yung taps into strength people might see in the women of the Bible: Mary Magdalene, Esther and Ruth.
Throughout history, these female figures have transcended mere submission by becoming spiritual anchors. They accessed an emotional, compassionate strength that changed the world. These women have been a portal through the non-physical world, shining spiritual light on humanity, that which cannot be seen or touched with human hands. The power of the female form has been at the very core of humanity. Her unacknowledged power stems from love, grace, compassion and forgiveness. She uses this strength to show the physical world that there is more to life than what our eyes can see and ears can hear.
Yung’s Modern Art
This modern day artist does not consider women to be superheroes and she doesn’t put herself on a pedestal either. Dorothy Yung’s humility is palpable and her confidence in her purpose is unwavering. She uses fine art to tell ancient stories of love, compassion, and grace. Dorothy reminds us of the role of the female form throughout history. She uses oil on canvas to give anyone that chooses to see; the un-seeable, anyone that chooses to listen to hear stories that have no words. An experience that transcends that of “fine art“, Dorothy Yung creates a portal into the spirit world, gives a voice to women like her mother, who reminds us of her on earth. There is more to this life than what we see and hear, if only we choose to look and listen
