Art
Review
By Chan Shuk Man, Phoebe (52466958)
Gallery: 10 Chancery Lane Gallery (Katie de Tilly Contemporary Art)Artist: John Young
Title: Marienbad
I liked it most for my first glance as I was deeply attracted by its
flowers. Flowers bloom in early spring in reality. Interestingly, the artist,
John also brushed and canvas and finally created this lovely piece with blossom
of flowers in SPRING too. I was not sure I knew why, except to mention the
sheer sensuous joy of looking at the art piece, being a little an act of
meditation.
Later, I will further explain why I liked this piece and its flowers
so much after examining its medium and message of the work.
The medium of Marienbad was considered as mixed medium, consisting
both digital print at the back and oil on canvas on the top. Such unique mixed
medium constituted double layers of the piece interestingly.
On one hand, the background of the piece was made of digital print:
overlapping of few photos showing the dear old days of Macau. The overlapping of
digital print was quite complicated. Looking at the print was just like
wandering lost in a pathless forest. Time flies and color fades out eventually.
I guessed that was why the digital print of old Macau was in dark tones and dim
light with fading colors, gently representing the flying time and history.
Conversely, on the other hand, the flowers painted by oil on canvas
on top of the print were clear and simple unlike the complicated overlapping
digital print, and comparatively in far brighter colors, such as pink, white,
yellow, brown, etc. In my opinion, the beautiful shiny flowers were a metaphor
of growth and new future in contrast with the dear old past and fading represented
through digital print. It was true that color and light were always at the
heart of things.
For sure, there was a message to the work of John Young. How his
living with the identity in the society of Macau was the core of his contemporary art work: what was the
relationship of people, societies, cultures and current era. In my opinion, he
perceived his lives as his art piece. That was why can I put my eyes on the
existence value of John as well as his dear Macau rather than merely the painting and art piece.
This art piece was simply like a crystal ball which looked into the
past and the future of Macau. Facing the rapid development and transformation, the piece was
gently and softly saying: “Don’t be afraid. Walk on.”
This piece is more or less true in a historical sense. It offered
and gave a life to Macau. On top of its past history and the precious old moments showing
from the digital print, it would grow and further develop like the painting of
the blossom of flowers.
Similarly, in reality, Macau has now blossomed from then on.
History was always the soils. Future grew like flowers with the
nourishing nutrients of history soils.
Admittedly, I especially like the blossom of flowers of the work. My
whole life long I have lived with flowers. I have received, collected and
planted flowers at home. Flowers and love I see them everywhere. I have found
out the connection with flowers and love, to understand beauty in its
simplicity. Only then can I truly understand love, just as a flower lives,
having past with growing future, living and growing for the beauty of the
moment like a city, no matter John Young’s dear Macau or my dearest Hong Kong.
Flowers never die. Our cities never die.
Please don’t be afraid. Walk on. Our future blooms.
I love you. :)*
