CIRCLES AND PEONIES (2022)
Black gel ink pen on paper. 42cm x 50cm
“Peonies and Circles” is a 2D monochrome artwork, which focuses on playing with the idea of negative / positive space as well as repetition in art.
The themes were explored and represented this time are eternity and perfection. With this work, I got huge inspirations from my grandma’s patterned tiles around her house and my colouring book, the “Enchanted Forest” by Johanna Basford, which I received as my 11th birthday presents. Johanna Basford is also the artist who inspired me to use gel ink pens as the medium for my artwork this time. These two things have always been a big part of my childhood, as every time I visit my grandma’s house, I would bring my colour pencils, lie on the floor and coloured pages while also chatting with my grandma until lunch time. Recently, I am also into a lot of ancient Vietnamese/Chinese/Japanese architecture and costume details and I got inspiration from them as well.
Each circle has its own patterns, in which smaller circles and details were repeated multiple times. I followed the idea of Mandala (circles with repetition of details) and also combined some of the Vietnamese traditional pattern elements.
The reasons why I chose circles and peonies is because the circles symbolise the eternity and timelessness of memory; and peonies is the flower that both my grandmother and I love, it signifies love, honour and joy. Specifically in this piece, the flowers are interspersed between the circles, as the way my grandma always presents in my memory, in the past, the present and also the future. “Peonies and Circles” asks the viewers to reminisce about their loving families, their favourite objects, their happy memories that appeared during their childhood.
