I like travelling to different cities and capture the impressions of different cityscapes. Japan is a cool place for a signboard-lover like me. To me, painting a new, unfamiliar city is like learning a new language. It's about forgetting what you know, and admire what other cultures construct their cities and aesthestics.
Painting cityscape is a way for me to learn about other's lives, their ways of thinking and living. By comparing cities over cities visually, usually, I can discover lot of surprises.
Neon Nocturne, Toyko.
30x23.5cm
acrylic on canvas
2020
I made these night city paintings after my trip to Japan last month. Because of the cold weather, I took pictures on location and then I painted at home.
Shinjuku Station
30x40cm
acrylic on canvas
2020
Japanese cityscape is amazing for the pursue of my geometric painting language. The above painting is captured in a moving car, while the neon lights reflected on part of the car window and generated special shapes.
Osaka Symphony
38x56cm
watercolou on paper
2019
sold, through JPS Gallery
The arrangements of architectures in urban spaces, create different sound waves to me. I want to paint the visual rhythm in this piece. (an exhibit in the UNWRAPPED exhibition, Tokyo until 15 Feb)
Salaryman in Hong Kong!
60x90cm
watercolour on paper
2019
available through JPS Gallery
This is a fun painting crossover with Ukiyoemon, a Japanese floating world painter. He is famous for painting the salarymen in Japan society, using the floating world style and approach. I made a collage painting with his original stuck on top of my HK cityscape background. The signboard in Cantonese writes: "Remember to go to work next morning!" I think "salaryman" is also a phenomenon in HK. The background is kind of inspired by the post-typhoon Mangosteen working day. (Those who were in HK would remember the destruction it caused)
I went to Japan a few times, and below are some older sketches I did in university/ high school era...haha
Thanks for reading! See you next month!
BTW, I am currently in New York City for my first time! Don't know what NYC will offer? I just can't wait to see how I will paint the City of Dreams...
I hope you well and stay healthy. Keep in touch;)
Best,
Elaine