How will international artists interpret dragon, the emblematic creature of the Chinese New Year with their works? Anastasia Podareva from Russia, with her boundless love for Chinese culture, is unveiling her exceptional insights and rich inspirations in dragon-themed artistry. Let's embark on this cultural journey with her and witness the splendid fusion of cultures!

I am Anastasia Podareva, a poet, translator, and artist from Russia, with the Chinese name Tang Xilan.

Since my move to China in 2013, my academic journey has seen me through undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in Hangzhou. Currently based in Shanghai, I dedicate my career to enhancing Sino-Russian economic and cultural ties. Additionally, I am also an art and culture blogger.

Art, for me, is a way of life, one that demands persistent labor and a perpetual yearning for mastery. In one's own creative journey, it is crucial to have room for improvement and to maintain a state of striving for the high artistic boundary. This dragon-themed year has sparked my creativity, and I'm eager to share this burst of inspiration with you all.

In the realm of art, the dragon is often depicted and expressed as a creature filled with mystery, strength, and majesty. It has been a muse for countless art forms—be it paintings, sculptures, architectural marvels, or musical compositions.

Dragons and their cultural essence

I believe that the "dragon" does not have to be always mighty and domineering. In the artistic sphere, it can have a unique appearance in everyone's mind. Hence, the so-called domineeringness is just one aspect of it. With millennia of cultural evolution, I am convinced that the dragon, influenced by Chinese Buddhism and Taoism and enriched by the ancients' rich thoughts, cannot only leave a one-sided impression on us. We must appreciate the complexity and multiplicity inherent in any culture.

Dragons in daily life

In Chinese traditional culture, the dragon is the emblem of the national spirit. It embodies wisdom and creativity, and simultaneously stands for unity, harmony, and prosperity. Therefore, through my artworks, I try to integrate them into my daily life. For example:

Artistic features of the Dragon

The dragon's artistic features primarily lie in the diversity and mystery of its form. Artists create various unique dragon images through different techniques such as exaggeration, distortion, and abstraction. At the same time, dragons are often combined with elements of natural landscapes and mythological tales, making the works livelier and more interesting.

In summary, the dragon's image in art is filled with a sense of mystery and power, enriched by rich cultural connotations. These characteristics ensure that the dragon remains an ever-compelling subject in the arts.

This time, I have created five dragon-themed paintings, with different themes as follows: "Dragon Dance," "Cute Dragon," "Golden Dragon," "Fire Dragon," and "Dragon Embracing the Earth" series.

In conclusion, the dragon in everyone's artistic creation has unique characteristics, which stem from the dragon's representation of mystery, strength, and majesty, as well as the artists' unique understanding and portrayal of the dragon. These characteristics make the dragon a theme of great interest in the art world, offering artists a canvas for innovation and imagination.