Taiwanese arrangement

I am continuing the series of paintings inspired by my recent trip to Taiwan.

It was our first time exploring Chiayi, which may not be the first choice for travellers planning a trip to Taiwan. However, the city won us over with its unique charm, often compared to Tainan a decade ago.

At Mimico Coffee, we encountered not only the cutest Shiba Inu dozing under a table but also a beautiful Terrazzo pattern illuminated by sunlight streaming through the window.

I wanted to create an image that would be immediately recognisable for anyone who knows Taiwan, combining the Terrazzo with the quintessential Taiwanese colour scheme of sky blue and concrete, along with a peony, which I discovered on a tile at the Chiayi tile museum.

Initially, I thought very hard about the choice of vase, the colours and the arrangement. However, I soon realised I was trying to control things too much. The true Taiwanese arrangement is very easy-going! The space should be defined by the Terrazzo and the Taiwanese blue, and the rest should stay simple. It doesn’t have to be a beautiful vase, because we don’t use those in reality: it could be a water bottle. Don’t overthink it!

Something a bit old, but the ideas are still new