It is Better to be an Honest Crow than a Deceitful Magpie

In my work, I explore the juxtaposition of truth and lie by using a crow and a magpie which have a significance in Chinese culture. The magpie is seen as an omen of good fortune and happiness; whereas the crow is seen as misfortune and sadness. No matter how beautiful the lie is, it will always remain a lie. No matter how ugly and harsh the truth is, it is still the truth. When I was young, my grandparents taught me to use Chinese ink. Ever since then, I started to expand the techniques of Chinese ink in my printmaking. For the crow, I scraped the ink to capture the realistic reflections of its feathers, symbolizing reality. As for the magpie, I took inspiration from the brush strokes of Chinese ink paintings to represent the dreamlike world. This work helped me to see what I should believe in, especially the time when my grandmother passed away. It is a reminder that I have to accept her leaving, no matter how much I denied it to myself. These two pieces cannot stand alone as how in this world, there will always be a true side and deceitful side of reality.