Artwork Appreciation
The paintings of CHEN Ping-Han address the plight of animals and the natural environment in today’s consumer society. The subject of Guess what I'm up to? VIII-XII is the artist’s deceased pet rabbit. Chen gives her pet new life by means of oil paints on canvas. However, the rabbit figure is broken into parts, suggesting the reality of the subject’s nonexistence. Hidden in the rabbit’s piercing eyes are the artist’s inner defiance and reluctance to let go. In the creative process, Chen conducts a ceremony of healing and remembrance, expressing a deep longing for her pet.