Girl's Dream 2013

Kexin Di made "Girl's Dream", an oil on canvas, where a girl holds two birds. I find myself wondering what Di was thinking as she painted. Like, what’s the story here? The girl almost blends into that dark background. She's like a ghost in the making, but she’s still so present in the light, if that makes sense. And the birds! It’s clear Di is into the texture, the contrast between the girl’s soft skin and the bird's feathers. Look at the feathery details, like each one is a brushstroke in itself. It’s like she’s not just painting what she sees, but how it feels to see it. Painting is really a kind of conversation through time, isn't it? Di’s piece reminds me of those Old Masters, but with a modern twist. There's something so compelling about this painting, like she’s inviting us to dream with her. It's a dream I'm happy to be a part of, even if I don't know exactly what it means.