Description
‘On the Threshold of Salvation’ by Jacquell
Artist: Jacquell
Title: ‘On the Threshold of Salvation’
Medium: Watercolour and gold flakes on tea stained Fabriano Artistico paper
Dimensions: 20.3″ x 12.8″
Framing: Unframed
Year of Creation: 2021
About the Artwork:
“Fragile yet incredibly strong. Indicates imminent danger and being trapped yet the spider thread also has a less known symbolism of salvation. I always find lots of interest and inspiration in contradicting forces and double meanings. Beautiful vigorous life was born from violence. In creation there is destruction. Within matter lies the antimatter. In the center of a dynamic galaxy lurking a deadly blackhole. It’s 2 sides of the same coin, and it depends on where we looking at it from and our conditioned consciousness to give meaning to everything.
Loosely based on a Buddhist tale of the spider thread, penned by the famous Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, I wanted to narrate a condition where sinister sensation invading the soul, and as we are aware of the corrosion we struggle to save the last of innocence from our inner demons. The ‘good’ and ‘bad’ – two contradicting forces that co exist and constantly trying to dominate and annihilate the other. The Yin and the Yang inside us. And we walk on the narrow ridge between, trying not to be swallowed by either abyss.” – Jacquell
About the Artist:
Phuong, also professionally known as Jacquell, is a self-taught artist born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam. While pursuing her B.F.A in graphic design at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in the United States, she explored her childhood passion for watercolor painting and transformed a hobby into a lifelong career. Phuong is currently based in Bologna, a beautiful town in northern Italy where she continues to nurture her art practice with her family.
To Phuong, art presents infinite possibilities. It can be a vessel that carries one’s history and emotion across dimensions, a mirror that reflects society’s ever-changing reality, or a portal that transcends dreams. Phuong’s watercolor paintings are often described as realistic with a hint of surrealism. They often juxtapose a poignant narrative of the human condition against a muted backdrop of flora and fauna, reflecting her connection to Vietnamese culture and tradition.