Madeline Vang

In my series, I recreated classic fairy-tale settings to explore my deep struggle with pessimism and how it limits daily activities, such as connection and the expression of fixation. Inspired by fantasy movies such as Disney and Studio Ghibli, which I often turn to as a coping mechanism, I was fascinated by how their vivid imagery and comforting storylines conceal profound life lessons. This approach influenced my own process; I chose to embed my feelings of pessimism within whimsical elements, using playful imagery to mask complex emotions, just as fairy tales often do.

To guide my investigation, I use color to create a whimsical feeling and add contrast to convey emotional pressure. In my “White Rabbit’s Watch” painting, movement and contrast underscore the stress of working against a deadline in a fast-paced society. In the “Bird Watch” piece, birdcage lines symbolize isolation and restricted human connection. And the “Part of my World” painting represents the long term struggles trying to adjust into social norms using contrasting colors to represent cherishable bonds. Saturated colors evoke nostalgia, while other visual elements add deeper meanings.