Year of the Monkey 2016

Victo Ngai created this illustrative image, Year of the Monkey, with digital tools. The dominant impression is one of verticality and balance. A tower of stylized monkeys ascend from the dark waters below, their bodies intertwined in a playful, precarious stack against a yellow sky dotted with stars. The composition employs a limited palette of yellow, black, white, and pale green, creating a harmonious visual experience. The use of color directs the viewer's eye upward. The darker tones at the base contrast with the progressively lighter shades, culminating in the pale monkey at the top. This creates a sense of ethereal lightness. The flat, graphic style and the delicate textures, achieved through digital means, suggest an interest in surface and pattern. Ngai plays with the concept of support and interdependence, as each monkey relies on the others to maintain the structure. This creates a sense of visual tension and invites us to consider themes of community and reliance within the symbolic context of the Chinese zodiac.