Pacific Breeze II

Artist Description:

Lily is a Chinese-New Zealander artist specializing in contemporary landscape and portrait paintings, with styles ranging from surreal to realistic. A repeated motif throughout her art reflects infrastructure as sentient vessels, in which fleeting lifetimes pass each time they are inhabited and ultimately abandoned. At the moment, Lily is exploring the dilemma of rootedness present in a portion of third culture individuals. Asking the question: Where is home for those in an ever-changing lifestyle?  When Lily is not painting, she is gardening, trying new recipes, or wandering up and down beaches. She currently studies at Chelsea, University of the Arts London, in the United Kingdom.

Artwork Statement:

Of the 50 volcanoes standing in Auckland, New Zealand, Rangitoto Island (Maori for Bloody Sky) is the youngest-at a humble age of 600. Despite its ragged lava fields and intimidating name, the sight of the volcanic reserve harbours only fond memories for me. Living on beach-side Orakei meant waking up as well as ending every day with Rangitoto’s signature symmetrical shield in view, popping up outside every window and peering over even the tallest of rooftops.
In the midst of storms, the island stands sturdy against the odds, protecting our harbour from floods of currents or the devastating wind; On days of calmness, Rangitoto is a friendly giant, its crown reflecting the blue above and cutting a line between where the sky meets the sea which seems to stretch out forever. 

All said, I am pleased to share with you my love for this piece of Auckland in our current exhibition. In all earnest, it is my wish for Rangitoto to remind you of the pivotal landmarks in your life-locations which captivate you infinitely; places which when you’re in them, you are not wishing of being anywhere else except for existing in the current moment.