Zhichang Lin, Veiled Whispers

in response to Anj Smith, Portrait of a Boy in Glass, 2013

A composition for flute, clarinet, horn, cello and piano

Zhichang Lin’s composition Veiled Whispers is written in response to Anj Smith’s intricate oil painting Portrait of a Boy in Glass (2013). In her work, Smith explores gender, ecology, anxiety and eroticism, combining a plethora of references into complex portraits and landscapes, conveying ambiguous psychological states. The work’s title is a homage to American playwright Tennessee Williams’ play ‘The Glass Menagerie’ from 1944, which was developed from his short story ‘Portrait of a Girl in Glass’.

Meeting my work refracted through Zhichang Lin’s new composition has been incredibly moving. Our dialogue oscillated around saturation, dissonance and the rejection of neat resolution, and those conversations were a gift of discovery in themselves. Zhichang’s final score — his own recognition of the painting’s psychological terrain and its clear-sighted translation into musical idiom — is an incredibly touching feat of interpretation. — Anj Smith

Q&A with Zhichang Lin

What initially drew you to the artwork you selected as the departure point for your composition?

It’s very hard to tell. I was quiet when looking at other artworks from the David and Indrė Roberts Collection. But when I saw Anj’s painting, I suddenly started to ask questions and talk about my feelings. It’s also funny that other students in the group found Anj’s work uncomfortable to stare at while I just couldn’t move my eyes away from it.


What was the process of translating visual art into musical expression?

I thought of many ways to do that initially. But just like Anj’s work, it has so many elements and details in it but eventually you can’t tell what story it is telling. There is a sense of ambiguity and very deep-inside-the-heart expression in her paintings. And that’s how I got inspired to design my music.


How did conversations with the artist influence your compositions?

Anj literally gave me a new sight of seeing her works and I really love that. We talked much about ‘ambiguity' in creating an art piece especially an abstract one. There are loads of things that couldn’t be explained in words but only felt by heart. I had this feeling at the beginning of composing the piece but I wasn’t quite sure what it was. She reinforced and strengthened my ideas.


Were there any particular themes or moods from the artwork that resonated strongly with you?

The dark and depressed atmosphere at first sight, then different types of elements when you dive deeper into the painting. I really love it.


Could you share any specific techniques or musical elements you used to capture the essence of the artwork?

I made a bit of a reference to a contemporary music style known as 'saturationism'. I won’t try to explain it too much but basically it expresses what the composers want to express by making the music, in certain ways, overloaded. And I found that useful for me to compose the piece.