02 My Artist Statement

A scene from Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale 

Thais releasing lanterns into the sky

I have often wondered what became of the fantastical ideas we had about life in our childhood, and found that the innocent hope and imagination of that idyllic time in our lives is lost in the practicality of the real world. Any dreams we had of being a ballerina, astronaut or undersea princess (yes, really) are thrown out of the window by an ever increasing pile of assignments, meant to prepare us for the white-collared world out there. Therefore, when brainstorming an idea for my sec 4 coursework this year, I wanted a project that would uplift viewers, remind them not to give up on their dreams and recapture that lost side of life.

On this note I set out looking for ideas and found literally "uplifting" inspiration. In several Asian cultures, lanterns are used to celebrate certain festivals. Two such practices worth noting are the Chinese and Thais. Lanterns are typically used by the Chinese to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, and on Lantern Festival, people in Taipei, Taiwan release sky lanterns to mark the occasion. Similarly in Thailand, sky lanterns (called khom loi) are released on Yi Peng (a Lanna festival), Loi Krathong (a festival celebrated throughout Thailand and in some parts of Laos) and even the King's Birthday. The Thais believe that a lantern represents problems and worries that float away, and therefore the tradition of releasing them into the sky is believed to bring good luck.

Another, more modern, reference was found when I watched the movie Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale. In it, the King and Queen lead their subjects in releasing lanterns into the sky every year, in the hope of finding their lost princess. The spectacle is one of hope and love that surpasses time- a message that connected to my aim.

Hence, I decided to make a collection of 3 or 4 suspended paper lanterns, bearing paintings representing "dreams" and lit from within. Just like the Thais, the lanterns would represent new beginnings, and like Rapunzel, hope for the future. I am thinking of using a light, pastel-coloured palette to bring together images of childhood dreams and fantasies, as well as quotes on dreams from famous people and my friends, based on prompts like "the best kind of dream" or "my childhood dream".

If you have stories to share about your childhood fantasies, do comment on this post! I'd love to hear them.


Sources: Google Images, Wikipedia