Forever Love 2015

Editor: So, here we have Kexin Di’s 2015 oil painting, “Forever Love”. It looks like a self-portrait in warm, almost sepia tones. I'm immediately struck by its classical feel – it reminds me of a Renaissance portrait, yet there's something very contemporary about the direct gaze. What captures your attention when you look at this painting? Curator: That's a beautiful observation. Yes, the golden, subdued palette gives it an old-world charm, doesn’t it? I think it's the stillness that speaks to me. Look at the subject holding a palette knife. Is it an offering or an assessment, a tool to create, or something she's laying down for a while? It almost feels as though she’s questioning, isn't it? Editor: I can see that – there’s a quietness, an inwardness. I wonder about the title too, “Forever Love”. It makes me wonder, what exactly is the artist declaring a love for? Curator: That’s a delicious ambiguity, isn't it? The title might hint at a love for her craft, an eternal bond with the act of creating. Perhaps, 'forever love' represents self-acceptance, rendered palpable through the ritual of artistic expression. This gaze, it’s both confident and vulnerable; is it an embrace, a question, or a mirror? It gives the artwork so much energy! Editor: That's fascinating. It also makes me appreciate how the self-portrait can be about much more than just appearances, becoming almost a statement about being an artist. Curator: Exactly! Art can reflect love. As viewers, we engage in an ongoing process of creating ourselves in tandem with the piece, to arrive at places that reveal that reflection, until we recognize ourselves again. Editor: I like how you connected that thread. Thanks, I’ll definitely think about the connection to "love" and artistic practice moving forward.