Borgo Museo | Nuove Opere 2019 – 2021
* La Residenza d’Artista 2019 (prima edizione) è un progetto a cura di CCT-SeeCity per la Pro Loco di Castagno, realizzato con il contributo della Fondazione Caript nell’ambito del bando Sviluppo e Cultura 2019 e patrocinato dal Comune di Pistoia. Clicca qui per vedere foto e video.
Biography
Amie Lin is a visual artist originally from Taiwan (born in 1978); she after several years living in the United States, in New York, she moved to Germany, in Berlin, where she currently lives and works as an artist and creative director. Growing up between East and West, she has cultivated a point of view that embraces both worlds: “My dichotomous background allows me to filter and examine contemporary issues such as immigration, segregation and discrimination with objectivity binary”. In addition to artistic creation and in particular to painting, she Amie cultivates numerous passions: travel, writing (including poetry) and music (especially the cello). His is a decidedly curious soul and always open to others: “I love to immerse myself in new cultures, experience the local lifestyle, eat what the locals eat and share stories that reveal all our small differences and on the other hand, the uniformity that binds all of us human beings”.
Philosophy
Amie’s art revolves around the themes of race, migration, displacement and identity. Her creative process often involves translating an event or subject into a cohesive narrative, which then manifests itself in the form of drawings, paintings and occasionally sculptures. Her work varies in between, however, she tends to incorporate layers of symbolism into the composition. One motif that currently recurs in her work is the solar eclipse, symbolising a sort of separation between inclusion and exclusion and where we see ourselves within this spectrum. The “Holding Spaces” series is mainly composed of a large solar eclipse created by repeatedly printing a symbol on a large sheet of paper: “Since the work requires immense concentration it has also developed into a form of meditation for me. In a way, it’s also a performative art and I’m open to having viewers watching me while I create”.
Artwork in Castagno
“Considering the mural, it was of the utmost importance to me that it was something the residents of Castagno would find enjoyable. I would never want to create something that is intrusive. This is their village, which they generously allowed us to be a part of for a short period of time. I want to do everything in my power to be as respectful and courteous as possible in honouring this beautiful village. I would like to leave something not only beautiful but also significant for this special place”. Transmigration is a monochromatic mural depicting the story of a young woman’s transformation through her Residence in Castagno. The narrative is deeply personal and contains symbolic icons in the form of whimsical creatures, representing all the extraordinary encounters Amie had on her journey. The wall also serves as a special tribute to her father, who passed away during her Artist’s Residence. Transmigration (also known as metempsychosis) is the process in which the soul migrates from a human or animal to another human or animal body after death. Trans means “through” and migration is the act of moving, like birds flying south: “The ideas for migration were inspired by the swallows and swifts that make their annual flight from Africa to Africa each year. Italy during the spring to nest and mate in the Tuscan sun”. In the center of the mural is the solitary figure of a young woman who falls headlong into a dark and starry hole. Plants and animals surround her to remember Mother Nature who silently watches her descend. A lunar eclipse hangs directly above her, symbolising cosmic transformation and a catalyst for change and renewal. On the thin crescent sits a very rare sinister spiral snail, one in a million molluscs. On the left, a pig with wings, the humblest of all creatures, sings her last song. Next to the flying pig, a leaf begins to sprout from an amputated “stump”. These two elements are a direct reference to the figure of the father who passed away: the memory of an affectionate nickname and the amputated leg. Above, a scissor-tailed swallow swoops down from the sky, completing its annual migration. A swallow-tailed butterfly with a Playboy bunny head floats gracefully down the hill. The butterfly recalls an event that occurred to the artist herself during her residence: while she was busy working, a butterfly landed on her hand shortly before hearing the news of her father’s death, which is why for Amie it could have been the soul of her father came to warn her. On the right, a bear with a top hat holds a large chestnut in his hand. The bear is a clear homage to Pistoia (the bear is the micco, symbol of the Tuscan city, which among other things we find in the format of a small statue right in front of the wall painted by Amie) but also a reference to its current city of origin (Berlin), while the chestnut obviously symbolises the village of Castagno. A dark cloud hangs over him adorned with a silver lining as a reminder that often something unpleasant can, however, turn into a positive opportunity or that a storm always passes followed by the serene. This sky changes over the Tuscan landscape, in the background the skyline of the city of Pistoia, then the hills with the town of Castagno and finally the sea (a dedication kindly requested by the inhabitants of the house in front of the mural who have a sailboat). The whimsical tableau may look like a scene from a children’s fairy tale, however, each element of the mural actually illustrates the artist’s personal story and his extraordinary experience at Chestnut. At the same time, the story also reflects the universal narrative of the infinite cycle of the soul. The artist hopes that the viewer can enter the star portal and be temporarily transported to a fantasy realm. The mural is painted directly on the wall using brushes and paints suitable for painting the exterior of the buildings. The style and color palette are inspired by Henri Matisse’s “Blue Nudes” series (created by the artist after surgery for stomach cancer that struck him, limiting his physical condition). The solid shapes are bold and graphic, allowing each element to communicate as if they were icons or symbols rather than images.
Curiosity: the artist’s first idea concerned another theme, the initial idea before arriving in Castagno was in fact to create a large painting of swallows and swifts by hand, with rubber ink and ink on paper, a swarm of hundreds of birds to create a pattern, entitled Murmuration: “However, after learning about the rich history of Castagno and seeing all the beautiful public art (frescoes, sculptures, murals etc.) made by artists in the past, I decided to create something that would remain in the village and could be enjoyed by the public without the need for special access. After some hesitation, I found a large wall where I was going to make my mural. Unfortunately, at the end of my first week in Castagno, I received the news that my father had suddenly disappeared. I left Castagno and immediately flew to Asia to be with my family. During the mourning period, I was inspired by the compassion that was shown to me by all the inhabitants. This is why I decided to create a mural that would represent my experience in Castagno. The work is dedicated to the inhabitants and at the same time it is a tribute to my deceased father”.