ARTIST STATEMENT
Chinese folklore tells of Jade Emperor who disguised himself as a beggar needing food. All the animals gathered food for the man, but the rabbit could only gather grass. Knowing the human couldn’t eat grass, the rabbit offered its own body. This pleased the emperor, who sent the rabbit (known as Jade Rabbit) to live on the moon with the goddess Chang’e. Jade Rabbit however, always lives in the shadow of goddess Chang’e. I have represented my childhood self merged with Jade Rabbit, as growing up I felt like I was always living in the shadow of other family members.
ARTWORK PROCESS
Student's inquiry question: HOW DO ARTISTS EXPLORE CULTURE THROUGH REPRESENTATIONS OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS? Evolved Focus for IA3: My focus has evolved from working with just the cultural context to also embracing the personal context. Alternate approach: moving from painting to an installation combining 2D and 3D elements - exploiting materials for symbolic meaning.
Moon ball is indented in places to suggest moon craters.
