Jessie Hui
emerging painter from hong kongon kaurna land adelaide
acrylic and digital
2024 → i’m taking my time
4th apr - 4th may
solo show at Praxis Artspace
Second opinion (close up), acrylic on canvas, 61 x 61 cm.
Golden hour (close up), acrylic on canvas, 40 x 50 cm.
Jetty (close up), acrylic on canvas, 46 x 61 cm.
The body of work explores the process of wellness and self-love. Hui paints the healing journey from a third-person perspective, where her work narrates the struggles and progress of a cat in its quest to find peace. Telling the story of an animated cat, Hui's absence from the work allows viewers and herself to examine the personal experience from a distance, from a God's angle with more clarity and rationality.
Each painting presents a different snapshot of the journey, travelling through the ups and downs of the physical and mental worlds. From outdoor adventures with social groups to a confrontation with one's mind and soul in solitude, the cat is finding ways to heal and it surely takes time to be aware and to feel at ease with one's self.
installation shots.
The paintings are about how to feel better; what can we do to care for ourselves? While ‘First Aid’, this particular work sums up the tools and possible answers to these questions, each of the other 9 paintings explore physical and mental aids that I find relatable, such as introspection and to socialise.
The titles tell a little more about the specific tools to feel better that are represented in imaginary scenes of cats, to Treat your belly,furthermore having a Second Opinion, following the Gut Feeling and having some Companion etc.
My favourite cartoon is Adventure Time and I also watch lots of anime, mangas growing up, which you can tell from my art style :)