This was an artwork I did way back in Sec 2. One of my first few attempts at realistic painting.















A Maze and A Mystery
Lee Shu Hui
Poster colour on paper
2010

About the Work

This painting shows a crystal ball emitting light in the midst of darkness. In the crystal ball, blocks of colour are put together, forming a maze. Above it is a pair of hands, held in the fashion of a gypsy foretelling the future.

Rough, choppy brushwork have been used to depict the subject matter. Composition is evenly spread out throughout the painting. Complementary colours, such as red and green, attracts the viewer's eye to the center of the painting. Striking colours linked to the red and green, placed toward subject matter around the crystal ball, initiate and allow for eye movement around the painting. Contrasting colours like black and white have been used, so that light in the painting will stand out to the viewer's eye. The hands depicted in the painting seem to be coming out of nowhere, due to the blending in of the upper arms to the background, which gives off a mysterious feel to the subject matter. The colours in the crystal ball are mostly warm colours, adding a touch of vibrance to the painting.

The artwork communicates a sense of mystery and a mix of emotions such as a distant coldness and, at the same time, vibrance. This is to symbolise the different aspects of light, where in the painting only a few perspectives have been given. The mysterious feel, achieved by the dark and murky background and the use of a crystal ball as a subject matter, could be an example of how alluring and magical light can be, while the maze of colours symbolises the many different uses and shades of light. Its vibrant contrast to the murky and dull background could suggest light in the form of revelation in the midst of ignorance.


How It was Done
That was done when I didn't have a camera except for my Nokia Classic-something (which is pretty useful and good in terms of vibrancy of colour), so I didn't refer to any pictures to sketch out the hands. I referred to my own hands by staring in the mirror. The good ol' primitive way. (just kidding.) Well, the way the light falls is consequently not very accurate - but that's the beauty of creative imagining.

Why I Did It
I was thinking about life, and how in times of darkness moments of clarity can appear to us, and we reach out with hands like the cold impoverished man to the fire. I also wanted to capture the way when knowledge first begins to distill upon our souls, and we approach it slowly, with wonder, like a little child, knowing the complexity of it, that it must be handled with care, and obtained.