All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Yidi Art is proud to present “All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small” from 14th October – 10th November 2022. The group exhibition will feature figurative paintings that explore distinct perceptions of life and living things from 6 Asian artists: Jun Makita, Hong, Heru Priyono, CHNO, Tisha Paculba, and Jessa Almirol.

The Covid pandemic has vastly affected many lives in unprecedented ways. Beyond the adversity, the artists evaluate their philosophy of life, and have diligently constructed their interpretations on canvases with much skill.
With the array of unique styles and figures, Yidi Art will be enriched with diverse scenes of individuality and the wonders of life.

This exhibition is named in honor of the hymn “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848 and later composed by John Rutter. The poem celebrates and appreciates the beauty of nature designed by God, a fitting theme that coheres with the collective significance of the 6 artists with grace.

“All Things Bright & Beautiful
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
That brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the weather,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden –
He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.”
“All Things Bright and Beautiful,” Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848

Japanese artist Jun Makita began his journey as a self-directed painter after withdrawing from college. He draws inspiration from animals, plants, sky and clouds, along with other works such as old paintings, picture books, punk and hip-hop music, and graffiti. In summer of 2020 he commenced work on his current melancholic style, using animals and flowers as motifs. His characters share a similar bleak expression with a hint of a mischievous child’s heart.

Hong from China is a leisurely but also an enthusiastic housewife and the mother of one. Despite having no formal training, Hong was nurtured by her family and deeply immersed in the art world where her enthusiasm grew progressively. Small animals are her muse and she can often comprehend the wisdom of life via interacting with them. Her paintings portray anthropomorphic, pure-hearted animals that play different roles in symbolizing her attitude and principles towards life.

Indonesian artist Heru Priyono enjoys working his memories of joy onto his paintings. He takes inspiration from his childhood where he remembered the world of play and laughter. Priyono’s works are populated with fascinating, charming creatures in vivid colors and patterns, triggering one’s imagination to participate in his world of simplicity and delight.

CHNO (Christian Navarez) is a self-taught artist based in the Philippines. He started as a street artist in 2014 and has been a mural artist for over 3 years. During the Covid pandemic, he has demonstrated how he has struggled as a street artist but continues thriving. He earned a new title, “Box Head Boy”, for his recent creation of “Box Type World”, in which he reforms objects, animals and humans into a box-type figure.

Tisha Paculba is a painter, sculptor, graphic artist and a video editor from the Philippines. Her usual art practices involve her experimental use of different media and materials. After the Covid pandemic she moved her focus on producing art pieces that closely resembled a lowbrow/pop surrealism genre. Growing up surrounded by nature’s abundance, her works are based upon the environment where she formed memories she wishes to be preserved. She depicts her world in detail painting of plants and creatures in soft hues on canvases.

Filipina artist Jessa Almirol’s oeuvre is named after the term “Pantsdrunk” which originated from an asocial Finnish culture referring to the act of drinking alone without loneliness, wearing little to nothing to show having no intention to go out. Jessa sees it as an art of relaxation and her form of meditation, the authentic way of relaxing without telling or announcing to anyone and eventually it leads her to solitude. Her “Pantsdrunk” series is a reflection of her personal emotions. In her current works, she wishes to encourage people to be humble and appreciative of great humanity and all living things including animals for the universe is greater than our existence.