LIANG YUANWEI

In honor of the First Day of Spring yesterday (and, of course, my birthday) I debuted this lace frock, which brought to mind the floral paintings of Liang Yuanwei.

Yuanwei (b. 1977) is a Chinese painter known for her large-scale, meticulously painted canvases, thick with impasto.

The floral works pictured here appear, at first, to have a wallpaper-like quality to them.  But upon closer inspection, it is apparent through the raised, expertly knifed oil paint and uniformity of the detail, that they are meticulously painted by hand.

Yuanwei's paintings are exercises in time management and expertise, taking her up to 8 hours to complete one horizontal strip of a painting.  

Like most works of art, the intense skill demonstrated by Yuanwei is better examined in person, when the detail of knife work and thickness of the paint can be clearly seen. 

Liang's works have been described as "gorgeous paintings that mix the visual appeal of tapestries with the conceptual inclinations of American Minimalism."

Her work is expertly summed up by the following: "Liang is uninterested in representation or smiotics.  Perception is via a flurry of delicate strokes on the canvas that manifest time's accumulation and the personal, even spiritual, experiences of the painter." 

Dress: Nanette Lepore (near exact dress available here)

Mohair Coat: H&M (recent; spring-friendly version here)

Peacock Embroidered Clutch: vintage, belonged to my grandmother (a gorgeous current version here)

Shoes: J. Crew Etta Cap Toe Pump in Neon Persimmon (Sold out color; other options here)

Birthday Flower Crown: handmade by my friend Meri

[Photos by @kay_elle_pea. Quotes from Barry Schwabsky in Vitamin P2 Images from artasiapacific.com, archivodenuevosartistas.blogspot.com, and thebesttimeoftheday.blogspot.com]