Dream 2011

Kexin Di's large-scale oil painting plunges us into a dramatic scene lit by a shaft of sunlight. I'm immediately struck by the artist's pose. Is he falling, flying, or dreaming? There’s a realness to it. I can imagine Di building up the composition, maybe starting with thin washes, and then thickening the paint, adding layers to create that sense of depth and texture. I love how the objects—the apples, the palette—are scattered around him. It feels like a snapshot of a moment of pure, unbridled creativity. That outstretched arm, reaching towards the window, feels loaded with emotion, like a longing for something just out of reach. Gestures like that make painting so exciting—it's about communicating feeling and intention through the body. And of course the still life tradition – Cezanne’s apples. Ultimately, painting is a conversation that we have with ourselves and other artists, where ideas and expressions are continuously evolving. It's about embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations. It's the human condition.