In Mimi’s Rebirth, the artist aimed to tackle on the prompt “reviving painting” in a literal manner by providing an actual “rebirth” to the painting by dipping the watercolor painting in water after rendering Mimi’s portrait (the artist's grandmother). In rendering her face realistically, the painting attempts to stay true to how her face has slowly deformed due to her numerous surgeries and radiation because of cancer. Then similar to how religions such as Christianity view the symbolic power of water, the painting will be dipped and soaked back into the water as an attempt to provide the painting and in turn my grandmother a “rebirth”. The artist no longer possesses the power of manipulation, but rather it is the interaction between the water, the paint, and the paper that will dictate the image that will appear.

Reviving Painting - Mimi's Rebirth

Watercolor on Paper

20" x 30"

2017

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Set Up of artwork in the classroom with the water basin in front

Photo taken the moment the painting was dipped into the water. Notice some of the pigment in her left eye washing away.

Photo taken after a couple of minutes after the dip. Notice how the colors have faded.