The objective of my art is to portray fantasy within real world settings. While exploring the themes of fantasy and the nature of reality, I became interested in incorporating fantastical elements into natural and city environments. My vision for this exhibition is to convey the illusions of fantasy and for viewers to interpret their own conjecture.

 

My work is arranged so that the two works with larger dimensions are framing the nine smaller works in the center. The nine pieces in the center are lined in rows of three, and from top to bottom is my photography series, mixed media triptych, and photomontage series. In relation to the theme, the leftmost piece depicts a modern day setting as it gradually transforms into a more dystopian setting when it reaches the piece that is furthest right. Meanwhile, the three rows follow the pattern of birth, neutrality, and destruction from left to right. 

 

The leftmost piece, ‘Trick of the Light’ is a present day observation from the perspective of looking out of a car window. The background is the NYC skyline with darker colors that are contrasted by the lighter colors of the borders as well as the lights that pop out from the buildings. There is emphasis on the reflected light off the car’s window which resembles UFOs. I manipulated the glass’s reflection and made it look like a galaxy in the dark blue sky, thus incorporating fantasy to a real-life observation.

 

Moving onto the center pieces, starting from the top of the first column, ‘World in a Façade’ evokes a mysterious atmosphere while the background colors resemble the northern lights, adding an ethereal quality. This connects with the piece below as there is a patch in the sky in ‘Misery of the Phoenix’s Tsunami’ that also displays the northern lights. The first part of the triptych incorporates various textures such as the phoenix’s feathers and the ocean’s fluid waves. Additionally, there is a mix of pastel and complementary colors, notably blue and orange. The bottom left piece also has a phoenix and this connects with the piece above as the scenery appears to be underwater, whereas the piece above showed the surface of the ocean. ‘Dawn of Utopia’ depicts the birth of a phoenix in a peaceful atmosphere that is expressed by the predominant color blue.

 

The top piece of the second column, ‘Unveil it’ has a smoky effect which stimulates a hallucinatory-like scenario. The centerpiece of this exhibition ‘Super Neutral Observer,’ depicts my invented creature: an angel-demon-mermaid-ghost hybrid. The angel wing of the creature is meant to demonstrate the more peaceful nature of my artworks on the left side whereas the devil wing is supposed to signal the more sinister and destructive right side. The picture below, ‘Puppetmaster of Realities’ creates an uneasy mood. The mysterious figures are controlled by the hand of a puppet master, a looming force. In contrast to the other pieces, the color is less saturated which makes the piece appear devoid of life.

 

Moreover, the top piece of the third column, ‘Keep it Hidden’ is mostly violet and gold and the vibrancy of the color is supposed to resemble a galactic ambiance. The piece below connects since the area of the sky above the dragon is a galaxy. ‘Rage of the Dragon’s Inferno’ depicts the destructive power that is unleashed upon a city. The textures of the dragon’s scale, smoky flames, and crystalized skies embellish the fantastical scenery. Likewise, the piece on the bottom right ‘Emerging Dystopia’ also has a dragon, however there is a mysterious figure tampering with its birthplace. The atmosphere that is created is one of awe, mystery, and the anticipation of the unknown.

 

Lastly, the rightmost piece ‘Swan Song’ portrays the final moments before world destruction. I intended to portray the clash between the conscious and unconscious mind through a surrealist lens. There is a single individual in sight while the rest of the world is burning. Yet among the raging chaos, the individual still has the dream of climbing into the clouds. While it seems appealing, it is only a mere illusion. Through the use of various vibrant colors, this piece depicts a nightmarish, psychedelic, apocalyptic scene.

 

Overall, the presented artworks are meant to connect together like a puzzle both horizontally and vertically. My works reflect the invented fantastical spaces that I envisioned. I hope they can inspire the audience to visualize their surroundings and break the boundaries of reality with imagination.