DP2 Visual Art Reflection: Tina Z.

Tina Z.
Tina is the second of four DP2 Visual Art students that we will be spotlighting this week. Her body of work focuses on female power and maternal love. Read on to learn about her atwork and exhibition curatorial rationale in her own words. View the full DP2 Visual Art Virtual Exhibition here.
“My artwork combines my own experience of living in two different cultures—Chinese and Canadian, and the understanding of female power. I hope by looking at my artwork, the audiences can have the awareness of female power and maternal love. My artwork has been displayed in linear fashion in chronological order; narrative will be presented to the audience, and the works will be lit with warm and soft light, because warm and soft light will inspire audiences to think about the tenderness of maternal love.

What I want to convey in my body of work is the strength of female and maternal love. I include motifs of female and maternal love, such as the uterus, the female body, and infants. I used different mediums to show the power of females. The inspiration for the idea of my works are from my mother. I think that she is the strongest woman in the world and has given me infinite power. My mother never felt that there was a difference between men and women, and her thoughts also influenced me. I incorporate the power of women and the greatness of maternal love into my work, to pay tribute to my mother. My artworks are influenced by many artists, including Frida Kahlo, Takashi Murakami and Yayoi Kusama. These artists have different painting characteristics and different experiences. I refer to the characteristics of their work and incorporate them into my work. In the course of my creation, I also visited the art exhibitions of these artists I am interested in, and admired their works of art upclose to learn the skills. These exhibitions inspired me to think more and make my work more complete. For example, through being inspired by Frida Kahlo, I learned how to combine my own experience, feeling and my culture together into my artworks. I hope that after viewing my artwork, the audience can not only enjoy the visual aspect of my work, but also feel that my work resonates with their souls. I used color, imagery, replication and symbols to attract the viewers. The work is thematic and for the audience. I hope that it creates a narrative.”



Eyes on the Tongue Rocks
“I compare these colourful stones to my mother's tongue. No matter whether I have been to another country, my mother's instructions to me have been lingering in my ears. I liken these eyes to the eyes of my mother. These eyes are always watching me and supporting me.”



Eyes
“A mother's eyes are always full of love. The colourful and black background behind the eyes symbolizes a colourful life or an unhappy life. No matter what, the eyes of the mother are always full of love. This painting was inspired by American street painter Keith Haring. It expresses that motherhood will impact me someday.”



Heart
“Acrylic paint, resin, and broken mirrors were used in this painting, and it was inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s artworks. The heart is the strongest organ of human bodies and the centre of life. It is also a symbol of love and life-giving. The blood vessels around the heart seem to extend its energy, viewers can see him/herself through the mirrors on both sides of the picture, it inspires them to think about the strength of their lives.”



Reborn 
“Black clay stoneware was used to make this self-portrait sculpture and inspired by Takashi Murakami’s work. It shows my old self splitting from the new one, representing the growth I am facing now. To achieve growth, I need to deny and tear my old self apart. Shedding of the skin is similar to the shedding process of many insects and animals. Shedding old skin often indicates that the body has reached the next stage of growth and life has reached the next cycle.”

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