Into the Unknown
Tiantian Ma is as much an artist as a conjurer. The New York-based artist conjures visual manifestations of vibrations and energies which appear only in the mind’s eye of those creative and spiritual enough to imagine their presence. You don’t have to believe in the world which Tiantian Ma interprets and speaks from, but it is undeniable that the artist’s creations spark a certain kind of yearning to look deeper and question reality. Tiantian Ma’s work is informed by a personal point of view, but the artist’s work is unquestionably mysterious and intriguing the point where one can’t help but dive deep into the unknown.
Part One: Who is Tiantian MA?
Question #1: Who are you?
I am Tiantian Ma, a Chinese-born, 1997, New York-based painter. I graduated from Pratt Institute in 2020. I am a spiritual person.
Question #2: Who are you as an artist?
My works are based on the most subjective feelings, recording my conscious and unconscious. I condensed my feelings about the world on the canvas, hoping to reach a subtle resonance with the people who watched the painting.
Question #3: What do you think about while creating?
I often imagine the universe. The universe is too mysterious and beautiful. I think the whole universe is vibrant and full of unknown energy. I long to get closer to the universe and nature. I think of painting as meditating process, which brings me peace of mind. Not only me, I feel that many people have to live a life of mental strain. When I am painting, I am most relaxed, and when I can let go of distractions, I like this state of inner peace and let all thoughts flow freely.
Question #5: Why do you need art your life?
I find that in the most ordinary daily life, people have some “spiritual” flashing moments, such as the connection between humans and natural elements. I want to record these magical trancing moments.
Part Two:
How would you describe your work and practice?
All our faculties come from sensations. Through my paintings, I explored how to square the subjective nature of lived experience with the spiritual, inherently unknowable world. I have a fascination with perceiving the bond to the world through Bodies. By softy-painted figures and liquidly flowing halos, which are my favored elements, I interpret a mysterious personal universe and typify my desire to make sense of the unknown. I embrace my spirituality. One of the elements that often appear in my works is a faint, transparent, and flowy flash, with rhythms both deliberately and unintentionally. The glorious movement is like breathing, suggesting vivid vitality, attaching objects, nature, and human bodies, tenderly but irresistibly connecting them, as my favorite poem: “I am integral with you…. I too am of one phase and of all phases.” My works imagine a world in which all things are naturally intertwined with emotions, even empathy with each other.
oil
16 x 20 in
2021
I think we humans are bodies that wrap around the souls, and when the souls are injected, they light up like light bulbs turning on the current. The merry-go-round behind symbolizes the circle of lives.
oil
16 x 20 in
2021
oil
22 x 28 in
2021
This piece depicts the night scene of Dumbo. I think the night view of New York City is very adorable sometimes. Cities are not dead concrete but living alive. Sometimes they say: “Welcome”.
oil and acrylic pouring medium
9 x 12 in
2021
oil and acrylic pouring medium
10 x 10 in
2021
I love collecting crystals and stones. The crystals in the painting are all in my collection. In Spirituality, crystals have energy in them. It is said that the ancient Atlanteans knew how to use the energy contained in crystals. I imagined my collected crystals and stones to be the ancient city made of crystals in this painting.
| Where/ How can Vacant Museum viewers see more of your work and where can they purchase it? |
| DM me on Instagram: @matiantian.art or Email me: tiantianmadcg@gmail.com |