Music box is a series of two paintings. Portable Freedom I is a painting of a music box with a forest inside and a robot dancing ballet. Portable Freedom I and Portable Freedom II is the same music box. The first one is a zoom-in view of the forest and the robot while the second is a complete whole of the object.

 

Working on this series of my studio practice, I was inspired to use square canvas. With the thick wooden frame, the canvas looks like a box. So that, I had the idea of painting the music box. It is my first time painting object. I found it difficult to located to object in the centre of the canvas. Another problem I encountered was getting the right perspective when I was painting Portable Freedom II. It was hard to get the correct angles as part of the edge are curvy. 

 

In my paintings, there is a music box in the middle, I painted the forest inside the box. The size of a music box is small, it is a tiny container, designed to fit into a gentleman's waistcoat pocket. I have the forest inside the music box, present sarcastic idea of putting wood into the wood.

 

I love forest. I like how dark it can be when getting deeper and how quiet it is. To me, forest is a symbol of freedom. I put it in a music box so that I can carry it with me, wherever I go. I also paint a dancing robot in the middle of the music box. It is used to emphasize the symbolic of a classic music box. Moreover, dancing is a relaxing activity, especially dancing in the forest, it gives us a worry-less feeling and embraces the freedom. However, another significant element of a music box is the handle. Since music box is a machine, it works only when you turn the handle. And it is a robot dancing, it needs someone to control. It is surreal that getting freedom need to be controlled. 

 

I want to use this music box to represent my life. Although, I don't have to worry about my living. I am free to do whatever I want. But instead, I feel like I am controlled by the society, especially my future, from handing assignment, chasing deadlines to seeking a job after my graduation. Also with the structure of the city, everything is so under pressure and control. Life would be so stressful living in the city. I think I am controlled either the family, school or the society, just like someone behind me turning the handle of the music box. That is why I created this series of paintings.