Trinity: Door Handle 
Oil on Panel 
Three 9x12in. 
2014

​“Hurry up, man! I am about to sh*t my pants,” someone was pounding the bathroom door.

“Relax, dude. I am just getting started,” I took my time to plan out the project and to carefully compose the pictures…

The work uses three paintings of a same door handle in three different vanishing points to demonstrate the nature of perspective. The leading line on the floor and the space in between the paintings suggest the designated spots for the viewer to stand as well as to register the artist’s body movement. The tilted plane of the door handle is juxtaposed with the flat panel surface to mimic normal vision, which is extended rather than framed. The door handle is raised to conventional gallery painting display level, which emphasizes a visual phenomenon: whatever the human eyes focus on, it is always at the central space of their vision.

The work is rendered realistically with oil paint. The repetition of these images reflects the reproduction quality of industrial design. This work presents an illusion, which unfolds as if the viewer were walking by; meanwhile, it draws a connection with traditional painting—the use of perspective is reinforced. This work raises questions that rather than abandon or break away from the tradition, how can modern art utilize its heritage? And how can traditional techniques survive in a contemporary context?

“Are you done?” He sounded like he couldn’t hold no more.

“Almost.” I paced around the door and sunk into an internal debate.