Alone in Density

This work is based on the numerous alleys surrounded by residential housing that I would encounter daily when I lived in Hong Kong – a subject I loved taking photos of! Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places on earth, where you can find yourself regularly embraced on all sides by colourful buildings that are brimming with people, hiding the fact that many face a lack of connection and belongingness in everyday life. The use of colour suggests a vibrant and energetic environment from afar, but when you look closer you can see a solitary figure walking through the alley, and once you focus on this figure you find that their environment magnifies their isolation.

I've tried my best to provide clear and accurate photos of this work, but please note that colour nuances may not be captured perfectly by digital media and vary from screen to screen.

---------
On display at the Hue and Cry Group Art Exhibition at the Hue and Cry (now known as Liminal) Gallery, Geelong, 31st August to 30th September, 2024.

Follow

I create art as a hobby, both to completely disconnect from my corporate job and to reconnect with my inner child who loved to draw, design, imagine and make. I’m self-taught, with a love for the different modern western art movements that occurred between the late 1800s and in to the first half of the 20th century.

My intention when I paint is not to achieve realism, but to bring the viewer into the painting to experience a fleeting, yet common human feeling, thought or observation - a familiarity to remind us that we're not alone in our experiences. To express this, I like to play with colour and loose brushstrokes, and be open to a range of styles from landscapes and figurative paintings, to still lifes and abstraction.

After completing a Masters Degree in Art History in 2020 I realised that there are so many other kinds and styles of art that inspire me and for which I hope to continue studying and reflecting in my own practice. I aim to learn something new with everything I create, which is what motivates me to continue to make art.

You can find more on my Instagram @jhoannamonteart