Transformation

Abstract

Artist's statement: "The painting depicts an abstract tabletop entering a dark green portal, which divides the tabletop into two spaces. The left part of the painting has a peaceful tone, which symbolizes my home experience in China. The Chinese flora pattern decorated on the blue cubes and the serene landscape reference the pattern on Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. The right part of the panel has a dark color with different temperature of blue, which embodies my experience in a foreign culture. To indicate the transformation I went through from one culture to another, I decided to make the cubes on the right side of the tabletop more basic. The light coming from the deep area of the cave like space functions as a beacon guiding me to get over all the difficulties in a foreign culture. This painting explores the way of employing abstract symbols to talk home culture and foreign culture. However, the relationship between the cubes in this work can be stronger and clearer. The shadow of the cubes is not convincing yet. These unresolved challenges are good places to start in the future paintings."

This is a digital photograph of Li Shiqi's still life painting. It was submitted as an assignment in the spring 2016 Intermediate/Advanced Painting class taught by Professor Erin Harmon.