UNIT1UNIT2UNIT3

CRITICAL REFLECTION
During Unit 3 and the MA Show, my core practice revolved around hyper-narration, with systematic refinements made to issues of symbolism and narrative frameworks.

I believe the appropriation of images and symbols in my earlier works was grounded in Saussure’s signifier-signified theory. Deeply inspired by Roland Barthes’ concept of second-order signification, I deconstructed and reshaped most source materials—stripping them of their original signified meanings, symbolizing or alienating certain carriers of meaning to expand their signification toward broader ideological dimensions.


In my work How to Find the Murderer, most materials underwent reconstruction to varying degrees, shifting the overall signifier-signified relationship to the boundary of unreliability. The already distant background grew even more blurred; Trinity from Inception appeared more illusory through reversed tones; a gun with unconventional perspective featured a prominent arrow pointing elsewhere; the central cowboy on horseback was rendered as a desaturated game character; dialogue boxes were reduced to mere frames; the hand-drawn fight scene on the right, created directly with an airbrush, served as the background with a crudeness reminiscent of early drawing software; the mournful face of protagonist Johnny Joestar was treated as a corrupted image; and nonsensical Japanese pictographs represented the powerful display of narrative signs across the canvas. All original materials were subjected to second-order signification, leaning toward broader ideologies—tightening the narrative structure and greatly enhancing the potential for overinterpretation. However, a key shortcoming emerged: repeated reconstruction and excessive symbolic use led to a cumbersome narrative, overwhelming viewers with visual stimulation that prevented them from fixating on impactful moments.






The artist Neo Rauch has been a profound influence. Born in Leipzig, former East Germany, in 1960, Rauch is a central figure of the New Leipzig School. His works are defined by ambiguous, uncertain narratives, blending opposing elements—fantasy and realism, harmony and restlessness—that resist precise interpretation of plot or theme. For example, in Nachtfalterin (Night Moth), seemingly disconnected figures and objects—whispering characters, a giant insect, a musician—coexist in a dim, mysterious night scene. Lacking clear narrative threads, the work invites viewers to construct their own stories based on personal experiences, offering an open-endedness that fosters expansive interpretation. His unique painting techniques and visual language amplify narrative depth; in particular, his treatment of subjects, objects, and backgrounds—along with exaggerated, even absurd perspective—creates complex, multifaceted narratives that have deeply informed my practice.










Building on this inspiration, I refined the narrative framework and subject-object relationships in Before the Escape. Departing from the symmetrical layouts of conventional comics, the work adopts a fragmented structure: the right side centers on an empty armored knight from Dark Souls; the upper section uses a first-person perspective, as if escaping a forest, with Deleuze’s famous concept "ESCAPE" reimagined as game-style title text; the left side features Griffith from the manga Berserk shedding blood tears, establishing a sorrowful tonal foundation; the lower section’s night-time game scene, paired with a symbolic sports car and early-game NPCs, creates a stark sense of fragmentation. The work embodies core themes—escape, silence, sorrow, and the unknown of the forest. While it contains fewer elements than How to Find the Murderer, the seamless connection and resonance between components strengthen the overall narrative, better aligning with my exploration of hyper-narration.



My research into comics has also shaped my practice, particularly the work of Japanese mangaka ONE—born in Kōnosu, Saitama Prefecture, in 1986—whose works (such as One-Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100) have offered fresh artistic insights. While ONE’s narratives are innovative and character designs engaging, his original manga manuscripts—crude and unpolished, resembling the work of a child unfamiliar with drawing software—have been most influential. Notably, this unrefined style does not diminish the narrative impact or character expressions; instead, the stark contrast between clumsy visuals and dynamic storytelling lends the pages a unique narrative energy. In contrast to the masterful draftsmanship of Kentaro Miura (creator of Berserk), ONE’s works have garnered greater popular acclaim in recent years—a testament to shifting audience preferences toward unconventional imagery. The "clumsiness" amplifies narrative intensity, as the raw visual style feels more immediate and immersive.This insight prompted me to rethink the painterly quality of my work: I sought to incorporate deliberate "clumsiness" to emphasize narrative focus. This approach is fully realized in When Did You Get This Illusion?, where I intentionally rendered backgrounds, borders, and certain subjects in a rough, unpolished manner. The contrast between clumsy elements and refined details creates a more engaging, rhythmic narrative flow.


Moving forward, I will continue to explore the core direction of the "hyper-narrative machine." Drawing on feedback from Unit3 and the MA Show, I have observed that the extent of viewers' over-interpretation of my works far exceeds my initial expectations. Notably, when such collective over-interpretation accumulates to a certain threshold, the signifier and signified of images extend into more diverse ideological dimensions. Thus, in subsequent works, I will focus on responding to and guiding such over-interpretation.

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