“Never, Forever” is a large-scale oil painting depicting my younger brother interacting with fish at an aquarium. Through him, I was momentarily able to experience the blissful ignorance I yearn for from my youth. Watching him go through life without the burdens and fears that I and other adults shoulder is a breath of fresh air, so I hoped to capture that fleeting moment in this piece. I felt compelled to create this after visiting my mom in the hospital where my brother asked “Mom coming home?”, not understanding that she wouldn’t be able to for a while. It was bittersweet. On one hand, I envied his lack of awareness, and on the other, I was devastated that he couldn’t comprehend the situation. “Never, Forever” explores the role of the viewer’s emotions toward the subject in a similar capacity, with his endearing gesture yet mildly unsettling composition.
