Eva Kwong
Red Fllopodia
This Acalephoid series is based on the soft sensuous human-like bodies of jellyfish and cephalopods like octopuses and squids. I try to give these sculptures a sense of quiescent energy through curvilinear biomorphic form and complex colorful relationships.
These compound sculptures are made by assembling wheel thrown and coil-built parts. They are painted with slips, underglazes and glazes. I layer and blend the numerous layers to create nuanced color transitions for the “ground” or main body.
Spots in a contrasting color are painted on top to create the visual vibration of colors. This is informed by my studies of natural objects where there are no flat color surface in nature, in addition to the simultaneous contrast theory of Josef Albers. I am inspired by the complexity and energy of colors and patterns found on coral reef fish, butterfly wings, orchids, etc.
Each raised spot is a unique gesture that records the touch of the brush to the surface. Like our signatures, the marks vary slightly each time we sign or paint. The same and not the same. Like the pores on our skin or cells in our body, each spot and color shifts in relationship to the other spots around it. Together, all the parts play like a dynamic orchestra in sync. I combine something