Unlike traditional art and modern art’s reliance on unique craftsmanship and forms, contemporary art relies more on concepts and transformation. The more multifold and intricate these transformations, the more beautiful they become. In recent works, Hao You intertwines metal materials to narrate her intricate concern for life – imbuing her works with both similarities and contrasts. The lingering of metal, life or feelings form a similarity while the coldness of metal, the fragility of life and the softness of emotions stand in opposition. This play on similarities and opposition greatly enriches the depth of meaning and emotional capacity of Hao You’s works.

Bodhhi and Butterfly is the name of a Burmese movie Hao You participated in. In three short clips she draws on the heavens, people and dreams to act out her interpretation of Bodhi and Butterfly with the goal of arousing people’s awareness and appreciation of life. In Buddhism, Bodhi means consciousness or realization. In terms of philosophy, consciousness is the source of all meaning; without consciousness there would be no meaning. It is in this sense, that we say only humans have a meaningful world. Man is a conscious being, one that can understand his/her surroundings. However, life is something man cannot fully understand. This question of how to achieve absolute realization of life during the course of one’s own life is something that philosophers throughout the ages have been striving to solve. Bodhi is not a general consciousness, but one that is directed towards oneself – something also known as an as epiphany, Dawu (great awakening) or self-consciousness. Corresponding with Bodhi, the butterfly is also an image symbolic of the life cycle. In Hao You’s works, we can see the different stages of the butterfly’s life, from the egg, larva, cocoon to the butterfly, and the reoccurance of these cycles. Life is a cycle, different stages have different meanings. She says, all people are born equal and that in our quest to strengthen our own existence and to forge enough paths for the existence of our planet’s countless living beings, life’s suffering and struggles are the fuel that spark awakening and brilliance.