Viewing entries tagged
featured

Conquest

Comment

Conquest

Conquest

Mixed Media on Canvas
20 x 42 Inches
December, 2017

A clash of genders and a clash of cultures.

The phallic characters on the right are dressed as Western monks. The vulvic characters are dressed as concubines. Having monks depicted as phallic characters infers that inside a facade of purity, are still impure thoughts. The vulvic personas devouring their counterparts symbolize that females can be dominant even from a place of submission.

Throughout history Western conquerors proclaim foreign lands their own, in the name of Christianity. In additional, the color of the background subtly brings up the modern phrase Yellow Fever — a term usually applied to white males who have a clear sexual preference for Asian women.

This dichotomy is not only genders, geography, but ideas first depicted as war. It is hard to tell who is winning, who subjugates who. But sexual activity is not a battle. When opposites come together, perhaps it is not for destruction, but procreation.

DSC_8929.jpg

Comment

The Divine Harmony

Comment

The Divine Harmony

The Divine Harmony

Oil on Glass Tile and Mirror
30 x 30 x 1 Inches
October 2017

Man and woman, existing in perfect harmony, is a difficult yin and yang dynamic.

In the past, men have often dominated women in many societies. However, in modern times, human are finding more balance and equality.

Following the ying and the yang, in keeping with fengshui dynamics to create harmony, the man faces south and the female faces north. Together they find their own form of purity, represented by a lotus flower.

To see this delicate balance in relationship is true reflection of our inner selves.

Comment

T.ildeathdouspart

Comment

T.ildeathdouspart

T.ildeathdouspart

23.75 x 17.75 Inches
Oil and Shellac on Canvas
October 2017

“Like flies to honey” is a Taiwanese saying describing schoolboys lusting after the opposite gender.

A woman is indeed like a fragrant flower, and a carnivorous one at that; and the man, a fly.

But in this case, death is not necessarily a bad thing; death is rebirth. Through commitment, we leave our old selves behind and become two new symbiotic selves together.

All work © 2016 Anko Chang. Please do not reproduce without the written consent of Anko Chang.

Comment

Rooster's Jewel

Comment

Rooster's Jewel

Rooster's Jewel

24K Gold Leaf and Oil on Canvas
24 x 36 Inches
April 2017

Collection of Central Committee of the Communist Party of China located in Xi'an
Painted to celebrate Lunar Year of the Rooster.

A gift of appreciation to the City of Xi'an for inviting us as their honored guests, this painting shows the cross-strait friendship between China and Taiwan. 

In a painting style that uses Western and traditional Chinese brush techniques, the piece represents our arrival to beautiful land of Xi’an and their hospitality toward us, by depicting a rooster (2017 is the year of the rooster) resting in a beautiful spring surrounded by pomegranate blossom, the flower of Xi’an. The rooster sees its reflection as jeweled and shining, showing the limitless potential we have discovered through our blooming, flowering, friendship, in hope for good relations between the two countries for years to come.

Comment

Comment

Rebirth of a Civilization

year_of_monkey.jpg

Rebirth of a Civilization

24 Gold Leaf and Oil on Canvas
June 2016 – December 2016
4 X 5 Feet

In contrary to the rigid social structures of Japanese snow monkeys, it is almost as through evolution that the human qualities of warmth and compassion have come into being. Only dominant females and offspring are allowed to bathe while the male monkey can only watch despite the cold. Here, both female and male enjoy the warm hot spring or cold air with warmth, love, and care.

Comment

Bird Brooch

Comment

Bird Brooch

brooch_blue.jpg

Bird Brooch

925 Silver, Brass, Turquoise Cabochon, Tiger Stone
2.25 x 3.25 Inches
July 2017

The brooch is made as a conjunction piece with After the Storm, which portrays an idea of love. Love is not something that is always around when needed most. A jewelry piece is made to tell the value of love in times of difficulty. The brooch being close to the heart, whoever wears it will hopefully be reminded that process they had overcame to achieve the love and success they have gained.

Comment

Ankh Band

Comment

Ankh Band

ring_blue.jpg

Ankh Band

Sterling silver
o.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 in
July 2016

Comment

Urn for After My Last Quarter at UCLA

Comment

Urn for After My Last Quarter at UCLA

Urn for After My Last Quarter at UCLA

Ceramic
19.5 x 9.5 x 9.5 in
May 2016

What are memories of school but yearbook snapshots I tuck away into a drawer? Ashes of such a life I led at a home away from home deserves a urn as unique as my own journey to be buried and reborn in. Like gravestones of heroes, it is a relic to mark all the tragedies, triumphs, and stories of an illustrious time.

Comment

Song of the Caged Bird

Comment

Song of the Caged Bird

Song of the Caged Bird

Mixed media
30 x 24 in
February 2016

(Mortal Ascent 1 of 3: Hope).

In the beginning of this series, I asked why is it that we have so much difficulty to find happiness for ourselves? Our inhibitions, our fears, our own unique insecurities lead us to live anhedonic lives. Each one of us lives in a cage of our own making, an imagined prison made of goals and objectives that never were. We can only hope for a way out to paradise by better understanding ourselves and learning.

Comment

Fractal

Comment

Fractal

Fractal

15 x 12 x 8 Inches
Ceramic
2015

High-Fire

Fractal is a work created to challenge the capabilities of Big White clay, a difficult medium that warps and collapses very easily. Fractal is a figure 8 shaped piece that both challenges the concept and deliver the purpose. Its name means a mathematical fraction that never ends despite the latin etymology meaning "broken". This funny juxtaposition of an unyielding equation and a fragile material uses the idea of infinity to inspire us that boundaries and limitations are further than we think.

Comment

Sunflower

Comment

Sunflower

sunflower.jpg

Sunflower

Clay on Wood
19.5 x 19.5 in
June 2012

Ultra-Light Clay.

Sunflower is my tribute to Van Gogh, and a memento mori I made for myself from clay, alluding to mythological and biblical stories in which humans were shaped from clay by the gods. This piece represents both life, and death. Van gogh led such an unhappy life, but is remembered for painting such warm subject for a happy occasion. I feel as I am like a sunflower; optimistic, and always facing the light. Hopefully my life can be remembered as generally happy. However life is short. My beauty lasts as long as a flower, and to higher beings, our lives as short as ladybugs.

Comment