Born and raised in Hong Kong, Tiffany Chan studied sixth form in the Isle of Man and University in Lancaster. Under the influences of both eastern and western culture, Jungian psychology and Taoist philosophy have served as inspiration in her work. Her artwork explores the grief that she experienced after her grandpa’s death. She amplifies on themes of memory and dream and bereavement – how we deal with death, especially with the loss of a loved one.
“Butterfly dream” is a short-animated film, based on “Dream of the butterfly” episode from the Zhuangzi, in relation to the dreams and memory fragments that she had about her grandpa. The juxtaposition of the mystical transformation of man into creature(butterfly) and life into death suggests transformation and death are inevitable yet beautiful. Her film represents a balance between consciousness and the unconsciousness, and an endless transformation of all things. Her work invites the viewers to see the death of loved ones from a broader perspective through use of ink drawings, stop animation and film. For Tiffany, the creation of art is therapeutic as it allows her to release the negative emotions in her inner world. She transformed her painful feelings and mental issues into an animated film as a medium of communication and healing. In addition, she becomes aware of the archetypes in her lives and bring them to consciousness through images. The process allows her to discover her authentic self.
“Once upon a time, Chuang Tzu, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and hither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of following my fancied as a butterfly and was unconscious of my individuality as man. Suddenly, I awaked, and there I lay, myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man. Between a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a barrier. The transition is called Metempsychosis.”
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