Yan Pei-Ming on Tragedy, History, and Painting at Villa Medici

In an interview with Artribune, Chinese-born French painter Yan Pei-Ming discusses his exhibition at Villa Medici in Rome, curated by Henri Loyrette and running until June 19, 2016. The show features works inspired by Rome's history and art, including a painting based on Pier Paolo Pasolini's film 'Mamma Roma' and a series of papal portraits. Pei-Ming, who was an artist-in-residence at Villa Medici in 1993, returns for its 350th anniversary. He explores themes of tragedy, war, and mortality, referencing Caravaggio, Velázquez, and Goya. His diptych 'Aube noire' addresses the migrant crisis as a metaphor for contemporary violence. Pei-Ming works primarily in black and white but has recently introduced color, as seen in his four versions of Pope Innocent X displayed on the grand staircase. He describes his art as a synthesis of ancient and contemporary history, aiming to capture the essence of human tragedy.