Sense and solace: visual artist takes refuge in abstract paintings

‘We are questioning the state of our minds now, ’ says Ting about producing art during these post-pandemic times. Photo: Bernama

Peisy Ting’s ongoing solo art exhibition attempts to capture human emotions in a world overwhelmed by the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown through abstract forms and colours.

Five of her works – When Heaven Burns, Ghost Of Time, Shadow Of Dusk, Destructed Reality, and Destructed Dream – “play” with dark colours such as a mixture of black, blue and orange to reflect pain, regret anxiety and loss due to the pandemic.

“All the five paintings were produced based on the current situation during the movement control order (MCO) period, ” says Ting.

“Indirectly, it destroyed the dynamic of all things, as our perception of reality, hope, dreams, beliefs, and values ​​teetered on the brink of collapse, creating doubts, whether the world would ever get back to the normalcy that had made us so comfortable, safe, and complacent, ” she adds.

'Destructed Reality' is one of the paintings that Ting completed during the lockdown period. Photo: Handout

The five abstract paintings are among Ting’s 24 artworks on display at the exhibition entitled: Transcendence – A Visual Exploration Of Self at Zhan Art Space in Petaling Jaya. The show ends Sept 27.

“At the beginning of this year, I was very hopeful, but the pandemic destroyed everything. I was at a loss, fearful, anxious and frustrated.”

The new reality, she feels, has shifted the way of life that people are so accustomed to.

“We are questioning the state of our minds now, ” she says.

Ting’s solo exhibition was initially scheduled to start in April, but was postponed due to the MCO.

The artist points out that outside the five paintings earlier mentioned, the rest of her works in this show were done over the last two years.

Ting, who has a degree in visual communication, uses acrylic paints and canvas as her medium to translate her experiential emotions into physical forms with simple and bold compositions.

“I’m giving viewers a multi-layered visual odyssey by wielding bold colours and composition, enabling a visceral sensory experience... encompassing joy and sorrow; strength and vulnerability; conflict and peace, ” she explains.

Ting, who is a former art director, feels her mission in art is to render the invisible visible.

“The aim is to pierce the viewer’s subconscious... to challenge their emotions and question what they see, leading them to look beyond the artwork itself and the one who created it.” – Bernama