Claude Monet - Woman with a Parasol (1875)
Claude Monet - Flowers in a Vase (1882)
Just as a flower, merely existing, is beautiful in itself, so too is the beauty inherent in a human, through their mere existence. (From Daniel Jaeha Lee)
A reflection and expression of the human’s genetic characteristic through a flower.
Humans have undergone numerous stages of natural selection and genetic evolution. Unless unpredictable variables—such as natural disasters, pandemics, or war—intervenes, it was human's enduring will to live and remarkable adaptability that spurred their evolutionary changes.
I believe this is also true for flowers. While there is a significant functional difference between humans and botanical organisms, both share a high degree of adaptability that has led to a drastic DNA evolution. Flower’s shape, color, and character are the representation of its habitat, which is the same with humans, I perceived the connection between two different species peaks when humans are sitting still.
Excluding sleep, sitting is the most time-consuming state in human life, and since not much free movement happens, I projected this still state onto a flower, even imagining humans becoming a flower. By replacing the place where humans should be sitting with a flower in a vase, "Botanical Sitting" emphasizes the connection between humans and flowers from the perspective of their unique inherent characteristics.
Oil painting’s unique nostalgia and the power to transform scenery into a fantastical atmosphere are the reasons why I always admired oil paint masters like Claude Monet, particularly from the impressionist era. Impressionism was centered around embracing modernity and a desire to create works that reflected the world in which they lived. The idea of “Botanical Sitting” aligned with Monet’s era, reflecting human change.
I have explored New York and taken photos of empty chairs. Based on the atmosphere or setting, I have grouped these images into sets of four.
