ART 2024
Family Portrait
Oil, Dust and Varnish on Canvas, 91.4 x 91.4 cm
Family Portrait is an ode to my family: a painting of my father's, my mother's, my brother's and my cells - that I had mixed together and viewed under a microscope -, coated with layers of dripping varnish, and riddled with strings of dirt and dust.
The work finds human connection on a cellular level, giving an unconventional take on a family portrait. Interlacing cells reveal a rhythm of unity - the individual cells, stained blue, coalesce and layer atop one another to form a collective whole. This biological lens is inspired by my prior scientific studies in my early schooling years, and I integrate my past interests with my current art endeavours to not only visualise my familial identity, but also, find a new avenue of connecting to my father, mother and brother. To look beyond the physically visible, and toward a not directly visible within.
Yet, unlike the soft 'perfection' of the flattened cells, families are filled with their imperfections. While the unevenly applied varnish and dust trapped within its dripping form seemingly taint an ideal perfection, they instead acknowledge the undeniable trials faced within every family. Growing from these layers of life, we find strength - a family filled with constellations of particles that glisten under the glow of thickened varnish. In working together, we can find a connection to and with family.