Apple Eye Fish

2022



Apple Eye Fish is a watercolor animation that delves into the fluidity of identity and the ever-changing nature of reality. Inspired by Zhuangzi’s Dream of the Butterfly, the piece explores the idea that all things are in a constant state of transformation, blurring the lines between dream and reality, self and other. Just as Zhuangzi questioned whether he was a man dreaming of a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of a man, Apple Eye Fish embodies this ambiguity and the endless potential for metamorphosis.

Through the delicate and expressive medium of watercolor, the animation brings life to the fluid movements of the fish, using the natural flow of water and pigment to symbolize the seamless transformation from one state of being to another. The fish, with its distinctive apple-shaped eye, becomes a symbol of perception—both an observer and a subject of change. Its journey through shifting waters mirrors the process of self-expression and discovery, as it moves through different forms, never static, always evolving.

In Apple Eye Fish, self-expression emerges through the act of painting itself. The watercolor medium, with its unpredictability and blending hues, reflects the nature of transformation—where boundaries dissolve, and the self becomes a fluid, ever-changing entity. This animation captures the essence of being in a world where nothing is fixed, where self-expression is not about defining who we are, but about embracing the continuous process of becoming.



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Ailin Yang