The Legend of Naii

Martin Hsu just sent over a few images of his new work for the Battle Royal show and I am blown away. He is creating a series of 8 new works inspired by his Grandmother and they are so beautiful. You can see Martin's love and respect for this amazing woman in the way he depicts her in these paintings. The story behind the work is really touching...

"The Legend of Naii is a tribute to my grandmother. Nai nai means grandma
on the father's side in Chinese. She was the center of our family and
will always be my inspiration.

For as long as I can remember she's always had silky white hair. She was
also one of the last women in China who had their feet bound and survived
the wars. She had eight kids even though one didn't live pass the age of
4. She carries them on her back in the eight paintings in order to look
after them.

In these images she's depicted as a goddess warrior who defends the white
lily forest from demon pests. If the white lily forest were her family,
then the pests are the hardship and any other odds against it. She rides
on auspicious animals such as the bat or rooster that protect her from
harm and the paper cranes are a reminder of our love for her which is
always by her side.

I feel privileged to have the opportunity to dedicate this series to her.
There's no doubt in my mind she will continue to inspire me on all levels
for the rest of my life."

I really feel honored to have such personal work like this in the gallery. And look how beautiful the pieces are...



"The Vigilant Tiger"
acrylic on wood
24 x 12 inches
(click image to enlarge)



The Audacious Rooster"
acrylic on wood
12 x 24 inches
(click image to enlarge)

View the rest of the work in this series at the opening of our new show this Friday, June 26th at G1988 SF!

Katie
G1988 SF