Anthologies Unearthed : Still-Lifes by Dominic Thian

In a grand and vast Chinese garden, there lies in the ground a maiden’s silk bag, guarding the beautiful fallen petals of plum blossoms. These paintings explore the poetic world of that garden, where the flower is a sacred and tangible motif, deserving of the most poignant of burials and the sincerest reverence.

The resulting body of work engages with different modes of Still-Life and representational practice. Utilising the motif of flowers as a central theme and point-of-departure, the paintings vary from intimate etudes of local flowers, to exercises in aesthetic arrangement. There are also larger compositions that are deeply driven by the complexities of painting & the pursuit of beauty.

This dialogue was recorded with a live audience on 9th December 2023, at Anthologies Unearthed. Hosted by Eve Hoon, it explores the ideas behind the Still-Life genre and painting as a language transcending words.

Dominic Thian and Eve Hoon discuss the paintings at Anthologies Unearthed