Deng Cheng Wen typically depicted his figures with each of their eyes covered by the person behind them, walking in tandem in precarious situations. Here, however, the leader's eyes are uncovered, although he is still poised to place his hands over the eyes of an imaginary figure before him. It is as if he found himself accidentally in the forefront, he is unaware of how to deal with the reality that surrounds him and his mouth is covered such that he cannot cry for help. With all figures well-dressed and walking in an endless expanse, one wonders if it is merely coincidence that they all ended up together and where they will go from here.
He paints the faces of his university friends in his series, ‘The Lightness of Seeing’.
