Huang Tu-Shui | Water Buffaloes: Southern Pastoral Scenes in Bas-Relief

A large plaster bas-relief, approximately five and a half meters wide: five water buffalo and three naked buffalo boys beneath banana leaves, the buffalo in various poses—bowing their heads, looking back, resting, and the buffalo boys barefoot, leaning on the buffalo's backs and horns. The relief depth is extremely shallow, relying entirely on the undulations and shadows of the edges to create front-to-back layers, with the banana leaves receding into the background as even shallower line engravings. The proportions of figures and animals are realistic, but the composition is meticulously arranged, presenting a horizontally expansive rhythm. The material is uncolored white plaster, with subtle undulations from hand-modeling on the surface. The work is installed on a wall in a high-ceilinged public lobby. Shot under soft side lighting, the layers of the bas-relief are entirely revealed by the angle of the light. Avoid: making the relief deep as a high relief, coloring it, figures in similar poses, shooting with strong frontal light losing layers.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一幅寬約五公尺半的大型石膏淺浮雕:五頭水牛與三名裸身牧童在芭蕉葉之下,牛的姿態各異——低頭、回望、休息,牧童赤足倚靠在牛背與牛角上。浮雕的深度極淺,全靠邊緣的起伏與陰影塑造出前後層次,芭蕉葉以更淺的線刻退到背景。人物與動物的比例寫實,但構圖經過嚴謹的安排,呈現水平舒展的節奏。材質為未上色的白石膏,表面帶著手塑的細微起伏。作品安置在挑高的公共大廳牆面上。柔和的側光下拍攝,淺浮雕的層次全靠光的角度顯現。避免:浮雕做深成高浮雕、上色、人物姿態雷同、以強烈正面光拍攝失去層次。