The river running through plants. Symbols and Chinese characters. The link between thoughts and the Universe. The movement of the sky, water, light. Happiness, good fortune and joy. Beauty, the mind, silence and quietude. Thunder, mystery, danger, death.

The subject of these works seems to be all of life. Primarily, that which we think is all of life. Appearances do not deceive. It is all life stylized, contained in the ancient I Ching, the thousand and one representations of which come together in this Felicitous interpretation. The paintings of Duarte de Jesus take us to the other bank, to the other side. From whence we are able to peacefully contemplate our haste, stress and anxiety.

Twenty years ago José Manuel Duarte painted some wonderful Czech landscapes in Prague, minutely detailed, small and lovely. Almost like old paintings. Years later a period in Africa greatly changed his work. The paintings are larger, the subjects have changed, stylized landscapes have been substituted by everyday objects. The technique has also changed. From the almost naif to a much more confident realism, based on sharp observation.

China brought everything together. José Manuel Duarte de Jesus learnt Mandarin, studied the characters, immersed himself in Taoism, discovered special spaces, enchanted gardens, travelled all over the country. Chinese images began to flow from his brush. First, he captured wonderful details , a red lacquer door, the lake at the Summer Palace, an old wall. The painter continued to observe. He limited himself to recounting to us what was around him. This was just the first chapter, however, in the singular journey of a curious and active mind, inclined towards the oldest, most complex and surprising expression of civilization in the world.

The works in this exhibition no longer merely present fragments of China which the painter noted. The China, Duarte de Jesus presents to us here, is that of the mind. Ancient philosophy distilled down through the centuries. Subtle, enigmatic and magical. They are marvellous images, flowing from other currents which make us dream and are intellectually attractive.

In this artist's work, it is impossible to separate his eye and options, from the observation and power of synthesis of the diplomat, Duarte de Jesus. The two things go hand in hand with the artist using his special position as an observer, to go beyond appearances. He shows us something highly refined, the result of an analytical selection and of human universality, seen through a profound understanding of China.