Nostalgia
Oil paints and acrylic on wood board, 75 x 65 cm, 2024
“Nostalgia” revolves around my current identity as an international student. The poem “I lift my head to look at the bright moon, and lower it to think of my hometown” is a classical Chinese poem I learned in kindergarten. But back then, I didn’t understand what it meant to miss my hometown. During the first six months in Toronto, I would break down and cry almost every week because of the filthy streets, the homeless people everywhere, and the constant sirens. My impression of Toronto was dirty, so I used transfer and collage techniques to create this dilapidated nighttime scene of Toronto. The bright full moon represents both my longing for home and my hopeful anticipation for the future. The moon is a bridge connecting my homeland and the foreign land, as well as linking reality and dreams. Wearing traditional attire from my hometown, I stand with my back to the moon, holding a glowing goldfish in my arms. This faint dream keeps me striving in the less-than-ideal current situation and warms me in the cold darkness. The featureless face represents my confusion in the present state. I hope that one day I can “see the bright moon through the parted clouds.”
