Humans have been expressing themselves through art since our very existence. The creative brains in our communities who are able to make a living off images translated from brain to medium fascinate me. The energy and constant inspiration that must flow through their veins is inspiring and wonderful to consider. Christine Ay Tjoe is a modern-day wonder, whose art reflects many of the topics I write about, making me feel connected to her artwork in an organic way.
Christine Ay Tjoe’s art is challenging and bold and absolutely captivating. Born and based in Indonesia Ay Tjoe paints on themes of humanity, energy, spirituality and other elements of philosophy and connection. She uses bold colour palettes and has used a variety of mediums in her series, from canvas to fabric to paper to plates. Her work is gaining increasing traction on the international stage yet her works remain grounded and introspective.
I am a little hesitant to pull images from articles or google images for fear of breaching copyrights. Pleas go here, here and here to see examples of her wonderful work.
Artists are just incredible with how much they can articulate without using a single word. As someone who relies on words and the art of written expression to navigate my emotions and reflections about the world, the emotional tug and depth of understanding that I can gain just by standing and considering a piece of art is absolutely humbling. Just as I grapple with conditions of greed, helplessness, fear and fatigue, so too does Ay Tjoe.
I love Ay Tjoe’s colour range, the depth of her analysis, the complexity of her images and how they evoke movement emotion and connection in a carefully considered and meticulous yet somehow seemingly organic and spontaneous way. The hint of animals, emergent faces, bright colours, deep and dark colours, Ay Tjoe’s work reflects the world and leaves you completely absorbed.
Influence and inspiration takes many forms. Art is a timeless one that we can all be finding solace in at the present time. The skill of Ay Tjoe shows that it is a special person who can draw emotion from the observer, take their audience on a journey and leave them feeling “other” simply by viewing the work they have created.
Look at art. Read about people who are expressing themselves in this ageless way, inspiration builds momentum and there is nothing more inspiring than someone who can sit with their thoughts and translate them into an image. Even more impressive when they have the strength to share those images and build their lives around sharing this magical output.
Immskar 