Embryo (2022) continues the exploration of fertilization stages and embryonic development. Enabled by current imaging technologies, the embryo is visualized to inspire reflection on the origins of life. Building upon First Week, which depicts the developmental process of the embryo, Embryo narrows its focus to a specific stage of fertilization, examining life's inception. The embryonic cell is observed in greater depth, enlarged by the possibility of modern technology. The circle in the embryo embodies a significant force, replicating genetic information that can now be studied with precision.

Embryo also celebrates the opportunities technology has afforded artists, showcasing how advancements have expanded the boundaries of creative expression. Whereas painting was historically confined to documenting visible reality, Tan Mu employs the medium within the realm of technological advancements, archiving moments in the painting medium that would never have been feasible.

Q: Embryo and First Week both depict the developmental process of an embryo. Can you talk about their connection?

Tan Mu: Embryo and First Week are closely connected as part of my ongoing exploration of the origins of life. First Week follows the early biological progression of an embryo, focusing on the initial stages after fertilization. It traces the transformation from a single-celled zygote into a more complex form, emphasizing the abstract beauty and structural simplicity of life at its earliest stage.

Embryo, by contrast, concentrates on a specific moment within this process. Through magnification and the aid of modern imaging technologies, it allows for a more intimate observation of the embryonic cell. This focused view highlights the immense force, potential, and informational density contained within a microscopic form.

What connects these works is a sense of continuity. Both reflect on the universal beginnings shared by all life and explore how simple, abstract structures gradually unfold into complex systems. Together, they examine growth as both a biological and conceptual process, linking nature and humanity through a shared origin.

Q: You have mentioned technology. How has technological advancement expanded the boundaries of creative expression and become a medium for exploring the microscopic world?

Tan Mu: Contemporary imaging technologies have fundamentally changed how I approach painting. Tools such as microscopes allow us to visualize cellular and genetic structures that were inaccessible to artists in earlier centuries. This does not simply enhance documentation but expands the scope of what painting can engage with. It allows me to archive perspectives that exist beyond human perception.

In works like Embryo and First Week, technology functions both as a tool and as a conceptual framework. It enables me to study processes that are silent yet immensely powerful. By incorporating these scientific perspectives, I extend painting beyond surface appearance and into realms shaped by biology, mathematics, and invisible systems. Technology becomes a bridge between observation and imagination, allowing creative expression to move past the limits of the visible world.

Q: Many of your works feature spherical forms that encapsulate information, from embryos and fiber optic cables to cosmic structures. Could you elaborate on this recurring theme?

Tan Mu: Spherical forms continually draw me in because they embody universality and interconnectedness. Whether it is the circular form of an embryo, the flow of energy in a torus, or the mathematical structures of the cosmos, these shapes represent fundamental patterns that repeat across scales. They function as symbols of both the microcosm and the macrocosm, compact yet expansive.

When I reflect on these forms, I often think of the topology of the torus, a structure that appears across natural systems, from bacterial movement and chemical reactions to planetary motion. This continuity suggests a persistent flow of energy and a logic that transcends individual systems.

At the same time, I am interested in how contemporary life is encoded, digitized, and mediated through technology. Despite this, there is a quiet humility in these forms. They remind me of balance, transience, and resilience in nature. This nature-based aesthetic allows me to connect timeless structural patterns with human experience, offering a sense of calm and continuity within the accelerated conditions of modern life.