Identity II, 2016
This is a Cornell style box, it represents my sub-conscious - what I might be interested in and want. I think my works describe myself even if it looks difficult to understand, but it shows my point of view and awareness about objects. I know myself and what I want and what is my inner world, so it could be easy to show my identities and my imagination through a Cornell style box. Self-expression through boxes and collages is a new exercise for me so I am not completely comfortable with it, but actually I quite enjoy the freedom of expression it gives me. I find it very challenging to understand the concept of abstract and expression through abstract art. So far I can see the associations with my life and thoughts and hopes.
Wooden box
I used a wooden box to reveal my tough spirit. I used several colours; black paint to show my circumstances. I am 37 years old but I am studying now to go to university. Even though I may finish studying, my future is not clear. The sky blue colour describes my “hope and vision”. The purple colour shows my noble Christian identity.
Shredded paper cage
The shredded paper cage represents my frustrated circumstances. I called it ‘my desire locked in the cage’. I really want to improve my educational skills and learn how to express myself through study but I still do not how to express and improve techniques and study well. It makes me frustrated and I feel I am stuck in the cage. In order to break out of the cage I need to push myself more because I do not think I study hard enough. I am 37 years old, time is running out and I do not want to waste time. It reveals a firm determination to improve myself as far as possible. I hope one day I will break out of this cage and I can fly. The cage is made of shredded paper, indicating my belief that I will break out eventually.
Pandora's box
I made several origami boxes using magazine paper and images I chose to print. It intimated ‘hope’ by alluding to ‘Pandora’s box’. ‘Pandora’s box’, is ancient Greek mythology. Zeus created Pandora who married Epimetheus. Zeus gave her a box and warned her “do not open”. She could not resist opening the box to see what was inside, but by doing this she released all the evils and suffering for the world - hatred, war, jealousy, poverty, agony and disease.
Yet last of all was hope, underneath everything, at the bottom of the box. People can endure all kinds of suffering if they believe that better will come. It makes people hold the vision and hope for better circumstances. I want to express my situations metaphorically through Pandora’s box because I still wait for the hope. Sometimes I ask myself “will it be better?” because even though I work and study it can’t be guaranteed that I will get a better job and quality of life. But I believe that if I do not have any hope, my life would be miserable, and fatalistic. Believing in hope can give me positive mind and encouragement. I do not know when hope will come out but I can do my best to prepare for a better future until I see hope come out.
Net cage
I put two images “The picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, and “A Divided Self I and A Divided Self II” by Douglas Gordon”. It shows different facets of my personality. I have two basic and distinct sides – a good side and a monster side. The monster side reveals violence, lust, lack of self-control and lack of compassion. The good side tries to dominate the monster side all the time.
​