Date Created: 2024
Physical Dimensions: 48″X60″ (122cm X 152cm)
Type: Painting
Medium: Collage of Monoprints, Acrylic & Oil on Canvas
Rights: ©Jeanyu Chen
In January 2024, after my work was accepted in the 120th Paris Salon d’Automne, I had the privilege of experiencing Matisse’s art at the Centre Pompidou. I was profoundly inspired by his pieces, especially his early works Le Luxe I and Le Bocal aux poissons rouges from 1914. The latter painting captures a goldfish in a blue evening room, set against the backdrop of a vibrant, sunset-lit world outside.
Drawing inspiration from Matisse’s goldfish motif in Le Bocal aux poissons rouges, I chose to reverse his color scheme in my own painting. I aimed to illuminate the interior with bright light while depicting the outside world as an expansive sea of possibilities.
At first glance, my painting might appear straightforward, but I intended for it to address deeper questions:
– What is the cat’s role in this scene? Does the cat possess magic power?
– Is the cat meddling with the fish tank?
– Is the fish having a “Nemo moment,” attempting to escape to the sea? Or is it a flying fish?
– Has it mastered the ability to leap into the outside world?
– What is the significance of the red color on the floor? Is it a flower petal or a dead fish?
The cat in my painting represents cultural, educational, and parental influences, encouraging the fish to “fly” despite its innate limitations. This imagery invites reflections and discussion on family dynamics and the educational system.
My work delves into the psychology of positive disintegration, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and the impact of our choices on shaping the future. This reinforces the idea that a person’s life is always in the process of reinvention and growth.
The creation process of this art reflects this theme; I transformed past disappointments into a new vision. Using draft paper from my previous architectural studies, I made hundreds of monoprints, which were then repurposed into a collage in this painting. This process of reimagining and repurposing symbolizes my journey of growth and transformation.