The interview with Andrey Scherbakov (cont.)

The beginning was published here

The Path-walker: In announcements about Wu Xing painting this technique was described as having the benefits of art therapy. Could you tell us more about this?

AS: Yes, it really has a similar effect. Professional psychologists like Julia Ziema have also noted it. Many psychologists now employ this technique. I know that in Kiev the local art therapy association uses Wu Xing painting in their professional work.
The first level of influence provided by Wu Xing as a tool of art therapy is a correlation between the body and psychology. Relaxing physical tensions helps to relax psychological tensions. This has been well-established in theory and practice of the body-oriented psychophysics.
The second level of influence is movement. When we loosen up, our movements become less constrained and so we learn a new of interacting with reality. This is where the effect of Wu Xing painting can be easily identified and traced. For instance, some people can be too direct and so they end up slapping others in the face with their comments and opinions. It might be that they’ve never heard of flexibility, or perhaps they’ve long forgotten what it is. This often happens to women who have abandoned their femininity. Such a person can only use the “Wood” brushstrokes, tough and direct, whereas the flexible “Metal’ might be something new for him or her to try. If mastered properly, it could become a big step forward.

The third level is images. Here we come face to face with a Jungian approach. Let me give you an example that might help to clarify the way we use images. As we all know, the tree is an archetypal symbol that is important for every single person. What’s interesting is that everyone has a unique subconscious tree inside his mind and so a subconscious painting of a tree can be very revealing. But if we put this image to work and show to someone that there are also other types of trees, if we increase the plasticity of his “subconscious tree”, then we can achieve some great results.
It’s worth noting that this technique can be much more effective when put to practice in therapy treatment. My teacher Maxim Parnah works with disabled children. Using the technique of Wu Xing painting he was able to help some of them beat cerebral palsy.

The Path-walker: The philosophy of it is more or less clear. Now let’s talk about the technique. As far as I remember, in your video presentation you paint bamboo leaves using ‘Fire’ movements. They are green growing leaves, and suddenly you apply the Fire element. Isn’t it a contradiction?
AS: You can paint a lot of things using Fire brushstrokes. Not only leaves, but also fishes, birds, flower petals, etc. Why so? The question appears to be quite simple but the answer lies somewhat deeper than one might think. ‘Wu Xing’ is sometimes translated as “five elements’, but in fact it is ‘five movements’. The main meaning of the hieroglyph 行 (Xing) is ‘movement’. Therefore, when we talk about Wu Xing, we mean the world of energy because energy can be used to measure movement. The five Wu Xing elements are the five qualities of movement. When we grasp this fact, our worldview undergoes an interesting metamorphosis.
Fire is a fleeting and explosive movement. A weak fire movement is like a butterfly in the air whereas a strong one is like a bomb explosion. The fire movement works well when you need to emphasize the fleeting nature of things. Leaves are the most mobile part of plants. They fall in the autumn and grow again in the spring. They quiver in the wind as they keep turning here and there. A tree trunk can’t do it as it’s not as dynamic as leaves. It’s much more static and solid. Fire brushstrokes are also good for painting various flowers. They help to emphasize the fleeting nature and the vividness of their life. Fishes and birds are of the same essence. They are among the most elusive creatures in the world. Their fleeting quality is best expressed with a swift wrist movement because this part of the hand can move really fast.