Haoyun Erin Zhao

"This painting marks the beginning of my six-month creative journey at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, representing a pivotal moment of exploration and artistic growth. It continues the themes from my current series, Letter to the Unknown, which delves into the intricate relationship between image-making and diverse forms of communication—ranging from abstract symbols to linguistics and sensory experiences.

I am particularly drawn to the evolution of hieroglyphic and logographic scripts, which trace their origins to early drawings and pictorial representations. This piece reflects that fascination, using mesmerizing transparencies and vibrant gradients to layer elegant, organic shapes that evoke natural beauty and the pursuit of freedom.

The composition anchors itself with a symmetrical, vessel-like shape at the bottom, symbolizing grounding and stability. From this base emerges a ghostly yellow-pink gradient, which rises to overlap a bird-like blue form at the top. This progression reflects the ascent of imagination, curiosity, and the search for freedom, inviting the viewer to embark on their own journey of discovery." (Haoyun Erin Zhao, 2024)