Selected work / 08

Magnified Reality

Medium

Printmaking and charcoal

Dimensions

30 × 36 in

Palette

Monochrome · Botanical · High Contrast

This artwork shows a white lily. I enhanced it by magnifying the flower from a philosophical perspective. While a ‘philosophy of magnification’ explores magnification scientifically and physically, it also considers conceptual magnification. In my artwork, the flower in the middle is the object I am exploring. The three prints along the entire left side and the top right show magnified parts of the flower: the bug that crawls on the leaves, the vascular systems of the leaves, and the flower petals in the top-left corner, along with the seed pockets of the flower. I explored these perspectives through a scientific lens—the reality people see through a magnifying glass. However, the print on the bottom right explores the deeper message within flowers. I took inspiration from classical ballet, as its movements show the life within a flower. The lily connects with the purity of ballet, which is my exploration at the conceptual level of analysing my flower. In conclusion, this piece is inspired by a philosophical standpoint that deepens my understanding of the variety of content I can include in my art.

© Leah Qi. All rights reserved. This image may not be copied, reproduced, modified, trained on, distributed, sold, or used commercially without the artist’s written permission.