by Luchia meihua Lee
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| Thought, 2005, gallery view, photo by Editorial gallery |
Unlike most New
York Chinese diaspora artists, Shi has followed her own artistic path. The
crossroads of her life journey have been addressed in her paintings. In place of exotic cultural elements or social
criticism, her paintings feature more intimate existence disclosure. She created still life paintings before 2000,
and figurative paintings from 2000 to 2007. Afterward, she continued with rich
color, emerging into a seemingly pop mode that deconstructed time space
paintings, reinterpreted fauvism and particularly cubism employing feminine
imagery in organic motion.
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| Anthony Haden Guest, 2005, Oil on Canvas |
With her
background in academic art in China, Shi developed strong skills in realistic
painting; and embraced the deep realism of western portraiture. Gradually a
conceptual semiotics crept into her still life and mirror structure painting. In one such mirror image, the contrasting figures
express ambiguity. Some of these clear images face the practical world without
emotion beyond helplessness or anxiety. On
the other side of the mirror, images are blurred; the figures seem unfinished or
look in different directions, giving a hint of spirit. These typically are large
signature paintings, for example Anthony
Haden Guest.
Shi sometimes
adapts elements from western master pieces. A
small
painting entitled Prayer involves
two green squashes sporting sexy
female bodies, reminiscent of a farmer’s couple in Jean-Francois Millet’s “The
Angelus, 1857–59.” The thin
string and hanging champagne glass refer to the fragility of human relationships.
The water bubbles splashing on the squashes are found often in her pop series. The
objects depicted seem straight forward and clear, even optimistic; however closer
inspection reveals unclear images, despair, and intersection.
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| Prayer, 16x14 inches, oil on panel, 2014 |
Her pop
paintings, such as self-portrait #1,
deconstruct Roy Lichtenstein’s photo pixels by use of a cubic style and a
hyperrealism. Thick pouting lips express sexiness and desire on an urban lady.
The bubbles and water droplets are not mere repetition; they are a talismanic
reminder of the artist’s skill, and a trademark.
In very
recent works, Golden Skull and Dimond Head, Shi has connected portraiture
to philosophical issues. Shi continues to mature as an artist, merging her latest
work pop with acute realism and dry wit to produce a new contemporary genre.
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| Diamond Head, 25x25, oil on panel, 2014 |
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| Pop series, gallery view, photo by Editorial Gallery |
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| Summer Kiss |
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| Butterfly |
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