Artwork Appreciation
GUO Jhe-Yu’s Particulate Matter(PM2.5) No. 2 is a reflection of environmental pollution. Black and white paint that divides the composition horizontally creates a contrasting tone and texture on the canvas. White portions overlap and obscure each other, while black areas are portrayed as hazy patches with flowing drips. A group of children donning gas masks are shown in the middle of painting. Their surroundings turn out to be severely polluted. The whiteness of the land is not caused by snow, but a thick layer of dust covering the ground. The dark heavens portray not the evening sky, but smothering pollutants that blot out the sun. Children stand together with hands holding each other, protesting in silence against this abuse.