In and Out of the Window III

作品賞析

Gorgeous swaying white chrysanthemums bloom in profusion from the rock-like vase in the lower right corner of the picture, and set off the orderly background composed of straight dark and light blue lines. For Tsai Yi-Te, chrysanthemums are symbols of the florid world, and although their superficial beauty will fade with time, their inner spirit will remain. In and Out the Window III outlines the fine lines of the petals with ink. It is a corner-style composition, with the slant of the table edge giving it a slight tilt. The vibrant, top-heavy chrysanthemums make it seem that the vase is close to tilting over. Besides expressing her feelings through the flowers, Tsai Yi-Te contrasts them with various other objects and symbols in order to express complexity versus neatness or simplicity, movement and stillness, indoors and outdoors, and so on. Such contrasts represent inner conflict with the ephemeral world outside.