Introduction
From 2017 to early 2018, I started my Master studies at Otago Polytechnic in Visual Arts. The course is similar to Honors, you are required to do a year long project. As usual, my inspirations comes from my interest of reading. I was heavily inspired by the famous Japanese author Haruki Murakami. Murakami is well known but I never got around to read his book until a friend recommends and I decided to pick up his famous 'Norwegian Woods'. There, I got hook on instantly by his magical writings and decided to make a marathon on his works. What I read include:
- Norwegian Woods
- Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
- Sputnik Sweetheart
- Kafka on the Shore ( I love Kafka's writing too if you don't know :)
- Dance, Dance, Dance
- Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World + Dance, Dance, Dance
Other than the surrealism writing style, what I adore most is Murakami's perspective of describing life in terms of mundaness.
For instance in Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, when the protagonist's door was kicked open, life threatened , the character's focus were on the broken door instead of his life. Also, asking questions like do you wear your earring when you shower? They may look like they make no contribution to the main story line, however the humorous breath brings an intricate relationship with the readers.
Several elements that makes me attached to his works are solitude, loneliness and the act of examining surroundings in depth. Which it resonates with my solitary life in New Zealand. So I decided to take on Murakami's inspiring works and re-observe my surroundings, people and life moments.
Studio Works, Thought and progress
Like many artists, I take photograph reference for my paintings. I used to have people pose for me when taking photos. But I decided to not do so for this project because I wanted to capture life the way they are.
Many of the works done in this project are small in sizes. Bearing the idea of flatting, in a temporary living space; therefore comes the idea of easy carrying size.
The project's comes in a few section: Zeta the flat, people who I approach with personal interest and attraction and people I already knew (including myself)
Zeta the Flat
(All photos are taken in this particular flat that I visited countless time)
Adrian and Ian
2017
Oil on Canvas
23 cm x 27 cm
Adrian, Ian and Anson
(from left to right)
2017
Oil on Canvas
36 in x 55 in
N.G. Chilling
2017
Oil on Canvas
41 cm x 35 cm
Sleeping Anson
2017
Oil on Canvas
21 cm x 37 cm
Surrounded
2017
Oil on Canvas
51 cm x 36 cm
-I sold a few postcards for this work which I found it interesting
Corridor and Open Doors
2017
Oil on Canvas
52 cm x 29 cm
-Even if you decided not to be sociable with the people you lived together, but you can't avoid seeing them in the open space like the corridors
The Familiarity
Dining at Fiona’s
2017
Oil on Canvas
35 in x 55 in
Fatty is Sleeping
2017
Oil on Canvas
22.5 cm x 12.5 cm
Sunbathing
(from left: Evelyn, Isabelle, Yong Wei, Valerie)
photo courtesy: Kong Xing Jun
2018
Oil on Canvas
37 in x 54 in
Other Interest
Jia Hui
2017
Oil on Canvas
18 cm x 22 cm
-One of my most voted works, I won painting runner up with this small painting at the Otago University Art week Exhibition 2017
Watercolour Portrait of Jia Hui
2017
Watercolour on Paper
18 cm x 14 cm
Lik De in Kitchen
2017
Oil on Canvas
38 cm x 53 cm
Yao Lik and Lik De
2017
Oil on Canvas
60 cm x 39 cm
Together
2017
Oil on Canvas
35 cm x 46 cm
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