Dual Reflections
Siyuan Lin
See it On Campus: Level 1
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Dual Reflections
36″x52.5″ Oil on Canvas 2024
In this oil painting self-portrait titled “Dual Reflections,” I explore the complex layers of self-identity. By contrasting and interacting two figures—the foreground figure is clearly visible and well-defined, while the background figure appears ghostly and shrouded in white—I delve into the duality within us. This composition is not merely a formal expression; it profoundly reflects on the multifaceted nature of the individual.
The background figure’s one hand is transformed into a skeletal form, wrapping around the chest of the foreground figure. This design not only enhances the surreal and unreal aspect of the image but also symbolizes death, the past, or the aspects of ourselves that we fear confronting. In this piece, I extensively use white to depict the background figure, blurring the lines between reality and abstraction, making the figure seem unreal and reflecting the elusive and multifaceted nature of our inner selves—some aspects of which are even obscure or hidden from ourselves.
In the painting, I depict the foreground figure with distinct and precise brushstrokes, symbolizing the part of ourselves that we present to the world—clear, identifiable, and tangible. In contrast, the figure shrouded in white is rendered with loose, flowing brushstrokes; its features are indistinct, representing the fluid, changeable inner self that often conflicts with external roles.
PRINTMAKING
11″x15″ MONOTYPE
25.5″ x 38.5″ Linocut and Silk Screen Print
11″ x 15″ Linocut
11″x30″ Linocut
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