Corona20
“I pictured myself as a virus or a cancer cell and tried to sense what it would be like.” — Jonas Salk, Inventor of polio virus.
In the early days of 2020, the world was confronted with the sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in Wuhan, China, which triggered an unprecedented citywide lockdown during the Lunar New Year. Despite the extreme measures taken, the highly contagious virus continued its relentless spread.
In response to this global crisis, I embarked on a creative journey that culminated in a series of paintings. I chose to work with acrylics on delicate, porous paper, allowing the paint to flow and dissolve like the virus itself. The deliberate selection of red and blue hues, juxtaposed against the warm mustard yellow of the paper, creates a striking interplay of subtlety and depth.
To capture the essence of these paintings, each sheet of thin paper was suspended and illuminated from behind, resulting in the final artworks that you see today. This technique not only mirrors the fluidity and contagious nature of the virus but also transforms the artwork into an illuminating symbol of resilience and hope in the face of adversity.