The mystery in this exhibition is how you find what you want or need in these intriguing and exciting works. Using clear colour, surging movement and textural effects, Chen abstracts from the natural world so as to lead us back to our own inner nature. According to the blurb, the artist is 'an accomplished writer on art history and theory, philosophy and poetry' which explains why his energetic paintings suggest a world where earth, fire and water maintain perfect balance. And it is this sense of balance, in both nature and the painting, that allows viewers to safely enter these active, colourful compositions and discover what they will.

How easily we fall into the various blues, crisp whites and warm buff hues found in Valley and Silent Tides. Despite the swirling momentum there is a certain tranquility in these works. Then there is the sense of nature's awesome strength and beauty in Quiet Valley, a work that (to my eye) suggests the mist caused by water falling from the upper left joins the spray raising from a rushing river at the base of the composition. I particularly like how the sparkling green evokes thoughts of cool, wet foliage.

Nature is awesome in all it's manifestations and Chen's paintings evoke the respect, relief or fear we might experience when we find ourselves outside our comfort zone. My own responses differed with each exhibit. I found the sand and salt hues of Dusk alluding to a desert sand storm, the cool white of Hidden Path to a trail through snow covered mountains, while the skeletal 'trees' and vortex of Hill in Moonlight suggested being lost in a forest at night. And I appreciated how the smaller works have the same impact on the viewer as the larger canvases. For example, the Fire Lake and Red Clouds had me mentally standing on Mars while the series of three works, Spirit of Water, brought me back to Earth with a splash in the cool blue ocean.

All the exhibits, no matter size or colour, have a sense of energy that can be harnessed if not tamed. It would appear that Chen's work emanates from his soul while the powerful brushwork commences from his shoulder. The rhythm and flow of the pigment suggest the artist is physically and spiritually in tune with those connections that exist between the fiery creation of the cosmos and the cellular activity in a single drop of sea water.

At first glance this exhibition can overwhelm but when you adjust your mindset, viewing the work is akin to reading celebratory prayers. Do yourself a favour, see the show and enjoy contemplating the mystery of nature, and the self.