(text by artist)
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
In poem “Endymion” by John Keats

A Night Sleeping with Eyes Open 是來自劉杭霖成為藝術家後第一個系列— “CHAPTER α -  ALTAR OF ARTEMIS  月亮女神的祭壇” 的作品。這個系列作為劉氏在學院時期結束到藝術生涯之始之間的連接口，包含著剛畢業的他對藝術仕途的憧憬及期待、和他的純真與希望，屬於少數他氣氛比較明朗的作品。兩個月亮是神話裡的月亮女神Selene和Artemis，她們分別代表滿月和弦月。後人常把她們混為一談。月有圓缺，看似兩個不同形狀的月亮，實屬一體。而這幅畫作是描述月亮女神和牧羊人Endymion的故事。月神想得到永遠的愛和幸福，選擇把幸福凝住；藝術家想得到永遠在期待的美好，選擇把希望寄予畫作。但想深入一點，被凝住的愛，慢慢也會變得扭曲，乏味。最後因為執念驅使，人們只剩下佔有和不安。作品被收藏家收藏，是一個新的機會藝術能被重新演譯和詮釋，作品被延續而不是守候。

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(translated)

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
From the poem “Endymion” by John Keats

A Night Sleeping with Eyes Open is from “CHAPTER α -  ALTAR OF ARTEMIS” –– Lau’s first series of works after he became an artist. This collection connects the closure of his times at the academy with the embarkment of his artistic career. It encompasses his longing and expectation for being an artist, as well as his innocence and aspiration, thus these works carry a brighter tone. The two moons symbolise the goddesses of the full and crescent moon, Selene and Artemis. They have been commonly mistaken as the same deity. The lunar goes through phases, and the two forms belong to the same moon. This work depicts the story of the moon goddess and the shepherd named Endymion. The goddess yearned for eternal love and bliss so she decided to suspend time; the artist wanted to acquire the beauty of anticipation so he embodied his hope in his works. Yet as we delved in the concept, we realise that the suspended love turns sour and undesired. What obsession leaves is the sense of possession and anxiety. When a work gets collected, there is a chance of it being reinterpreted. The art is thus continued instead of guarded.