Nico Pearleyes, Tiger Magpie and Surreal Sky, Minhwa, 2024, Acrylic Painting on Fabriano Paper

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This acrylic painting on 400 g/m² Fabriano “Pittura” paper, finished with colored pencils, is part of Nico Pearleyes’ ongoing MinHwa … Read more This acrylic painting on 400 g/m² Fabriano “Pittura” paper, finished with colored pencils, is part of Nico Pearleyes’ ongoing MinHwa series, a body of work inspired by traditional Korean folk painting. Historically, MinHwa often depicted tigers and magpies in humorous and symbolic encounters. The tiger, rendered as foolish or pompous, was a satirical representation of authority, while the magpie stood for the wit and resilience of ordinary people. These images, believed to carry shamanic powers, were once displayed in homes to ward off evil forces and attract good fortune. In this work, Pearleyes reinterprets that tradition through a surrealist lens. A striped tiger twists across the grassy landscape, its exaggerated grin echoing the caricatured animals of classical Korean art. A magpie perches assertively on its back, reinforcing the motif of satire and subversion. Above them, a vast ribbon of cloud curls across a darkened sky, lit by the moon, extending the scene into a dreamlike dimension. Pearleyes integrates the symbolic heritage of MinHwa with his own artistic language, formed at the intersection of Renaissance perspective, Korean art, skateboard culture, Post-Impressionism, and Pop Surrealism. The work embodies his central inquiry into how images shape our perception of reality, and how inherited narratives can be questioned, mocked, or redefined. While no longer tied to shamanic practice, the painting suggests that art retains a transformative capacity: it awakens feelings and sensations that expand our imaginative life, reshaping the way we understand the world. Dimensions: 25 x 35 cm unframed, 31.2 x 41.2 cm framed. Excellent condition. This piece has an attribution mark,
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