Oil Painting “Refuse”

My oil painting “Refuse” was inspired by the pile of clothes discarded to be recycled or reused. They are not waste; rather, they are materials for future purposes. Berkeley is a land of the free, and people can reinvent and grow into a better version of themselves through ingenuity and diligent labor. This pile of “junk”, the rejected, actually is dignified and rather beautiful in both colors and shape. Nothing is without merit and value; the collective shape resembles that of the spread tail feathers of a peacock, vibrant and alluring. There is hope that resides in this pile of “junk” and it points to a rejuvenated future.

Refuse, 2021, oil on canvas, 28x22
Refuse
28” x 22”
Oil on Canvas
Completed in 2021

© Matthew Felix Sun
www.matthewfelixsun.com

Hallucinatory oil painting “Disperse”

My 2022 oil painting, Disperse, captures a hallucinatory moment of a nighttime landscape — between the silhouettes of two monumental and interlocking trees, a group of tiny figures scurrying by, running away from their familiar ground, their fates, their tormentors or captors. The specificities are intentionally omitted, so as to leave the viewers to interpret freely and to fill in the missing details, though the title does hint at diaspora stories in the headlines of late.

Disperse, oil on canvas, 20"x30", 2022

Disperse, oil on canvas, 20″x30″, 2022

This piece will be part of the juried exhibition “Within Sight or From Imagination” at GearBox Gallery, 770 West Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94612 (August 10 – September 9, 2023). Juror: Jeremy Morgan.
Opening Reception: August 12, Sat., 1 to 4 pm | Juror’s talk: September 2, Sat., 2 pm