Go Ashore – 92x122cm

In the oil painting “Go Ashore”, I employed the oil painting technique on canvas, attempting to merge Eastern elements with Western painting styles, expressing my personal identity—a Chinese person born in Hong Kong during the British colonial period. Our city was also shaped by this unique characteristic. The figures in the painting are swimmers uniformly dressed in swimwear, much like a uniform, each carrying their own number. This reflects how individuals born in a metropolis are assigned an identity and position from a young age, undergoing a structured education to maintain societal order. They are depicted crossing a misty lake, landing on an unfamiliar shore, seeking their own place to settle. Water is a crucial element in the painting; it is ever-changing, capable of transforming with the environment. It nourishes and nurtures life, yet at the same time holds immense power, concealing unknown dangers. I use water as a metaphor for the unpredictable nature of the journey and the uncontrollable possibilities that may arise along the way.