《Bouquet》
C. J. Sunny Yen Solo Exhibition
C. J. Sunny Yen graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2019. She was always looking for opportunities to share her interest in animals through art, during stay in the U.S. . She explored the theme of Taiwanese endangered species, by illustrating the funerals of the Mikado Pheasant, Leopard Cat, and Asian Black Bear. Surrounding these animals with flowers associated with death, the artist uses these flowers as metaphors for the causes of death of these beautiful creatures.
The exhibition consists of a total of 36 pieces. The 4 different series, titled A~Z Bouquet, Contemporary Mask, Endangered, and Fu Lu Shou, all explore the beauty of nature and life.
A~Z Bouquet is an exploration of the vast variety of flowering plants. By using the English alphabet as a means of selection, the artist chose 26 flowers that have names starting with each letter. Since 2020 is the Year of the Rat, and to acknowledge that, the artist wanted to include mice into the paintings. She imagined how mice would interact with these flowers based on the characteristics of these plants. These whimsical interactions invite the audience to see these flowers in an appreciative way.
The latest work of C. J. Sunny Yen is Contemporary Mask, a series of oil paintings with minimal embellishment and bold colors. Using surreal anthropomorphic animals, the artist combined and reversed the symbolisms these animals represented, to illustrate the cultural connotation of humans in modern society.
Due to C. J. Sunny Yen’s passion for animals, she hopes to inspire and raise the public’s awareness of the predicament that endangered species are facing in Taiwan today. In addition to bringing this issue to the public’s attention, she is also donating the profits from this exhibition to local charities that are committed to protecting the indigenous wildlife of Taiwan.