First Week (2022) captures the biological progression of an embryo, tracing its journey through the early stages of fertilization. Intrigued by growth, Tan Mu replicates the images that current technologies can visualize in the body. Technology serves not only as a tool for embryologists to monitor embryo development but also as a medium for Mu to explore and reveal the intricate details of the microscopic world.

In these early stages, the embryo’s simple structures appear almost abstract, as the single-celled zygote begins its transformation into a complex, multicellular form. The evolution of its appearance captures the essence of life in the pure structure of its form. The embryo becomes a universal representation of the origin of all things, reflecting the interconnected patterns between nature and humankind.

Q: Embryo and First Week both depict stages of embryonic development. Can you talk about the connection between these two works?

Tan Mu: Embryo and First Week are closely connected as part of my ongoing exploration of the origins of life. First Week traces the earliest biological progression of an embryo, focusing on the transformation from a single fertilized cell into a more complex structure. It emphasizes the abstract beauty and quiet order present at the very beginning of life, where form is minimal yet full of potential.

Embryo narrows its focus to a specific moment within this process. By isolating and enlarging a single embryonic stage through the lens of contemporary imaging technology, the work examines the intensity and latent force contained within a microscopic form. Together, these paintings function as a continuous investigation, moving from sequence to concentration. They reflect how life emerges through gradual transformation, where simple structures evolve into complex systems that bind nature and humanity together.

Q: You often reference technology in relation to these works. How has technological advancement expanded your creative language and your ability to engage with the microscopic world?

Tan Mu: Technology has fundamentally reshaped the way I observe and translate reality into painting. Contemporary imaging tools allow us to see structures that were inaccessible to artists in earlier eras. Through microscopes and scientific visualization, I am able to study cellular and genetic formations that form the foundation of life itself.

In works such as Embryo and First Week, technology functions not only as a tool but also as a conceptual catalyst. It enables me to document processes that unfold silently and invisibly, while also expanding what painting can archive and interpret. By integrating scientific perspectives into my practice, I extend painting beyond the visible surface of the world, creating a bridge between biology, mathematics, and visual aesthetics.

Q: Spherical forms recur throughout your work, from embryos and fiber optic cables to cosmic imagery. What draws you to this repeated structure?

Tan Mu: Spherical forms fascinate me because they embody universality and interconnectedness. Whether seen in the structure of an embryo, the cross section of a fiber optic cable, or the vast geometry of the cosmos, these shapes reflect fundamental systems of energy flow and organization. They function as symbols of both the microcosm and the macrocosm, holding immense complexity within a seemingly simple form.

When I reflect on these structures, I often think of the topology of the torus, a form that appears across natural and cosmic processes, from bacteria and chemical reactions to celestial motion. This recurring geometry speaks to continuity, balance, and infinity within nature.

At the same time, I am deeply aware of how contemporary life is increasingly encoded, digitized, and mediated through technological systems. Against this backdrop, these spherical forms carry a sense of silence and humility. They remind me of nature’s resilience and its quiet logic. This nature based aesthetic allows me to connect timeless universal patterns with our fragile, transient human existence, offering a sense of equilibrium within the complexity of modern life.