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Apocalypse
Oil and Acrylic on corrugated boardÂ
80 in x 96 in
2022
I have used apocalyptic art as a medium to observe how people generate different understandings from the same art content. How do layers of meaning work through perception?
The idea of the apocalypse was first mentioned in the biblical context of Christianity, where it worked as a parable for reality. Generally speaking, the Book of Revelation discusses how the conflict between the forces of good and evil will escalate. When the conflict reaches its peak, God will suddenly step in, vanquish the forces of evil, establish his reign, and construct a brand-new system in which the virtuous will live forever. However, in contemporary imagination, the apocalypse is almost equivalent to "disaster" or "catastrophe" rather than divine power. This shift requires some reflection.
As apocalyptic art is used more in pop culture and becomes more popular among the young generation, some people start to believe that an apocalypse is an upcoming event in reality. The increasing pollution, depletion of natural resources, and decreasing birthrate altogether declare that the world is dying. Some of the younger generations tend to have less faith in humanity. By mixing the contemporary apocalypse scene with biblical images, the painting informs the audience about the history and knowledge of apocalyptic art and reexamines the meaning of the apocalypse for themselves.