Banner Galleries: Nani Puspasari - The Guardian 2022

The artwork inspired by Chinese New Year prosperity posters from the late 1970s and '80s with the message to wish health, fortune, and good luck for the coming year.

The symbolism of the Tiger in Chinese culture is as diverse as the majesty creature itself. In Chinese folklore, the Guardian tiger are believed to be a powerful creature because it can keep away from the three major disasters that affect households: fire, thieves, and evil spirits and to be able to protect children and heal ill patients.

The world has been in pandemic mode since 2020 and continues in 2021 with an unpredictable future for everyone. The spread of vaccines brings back hope for a new, better life in 2022. As we've been through so much bad news during pandemic years, I want to create a whimsical and kitschy visual for the hope to welcome the start of the new year; Each Tiger on the artwork is full of life and strength and embodies the energy and drive to achieve and progress.

About the artist:

Born in Year of the Tiger (1986), Nani grew up in Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country and raised in a Chinese and Javanese multicultural household. Nani immigrated to Australia in 2008 and studied design for years, then graduating from RMIT (Master of Fine Art) in 2010.

Nani's multi-disciplinary practise brings together a wide range of work from drawing, painting, installation and ceramic. Through her experiences as a struggling artist living in Australia for years, Nani's work is inspired by personal childhood memories, nature, popular culture, identity and notions of the feminine to communicate feelings of innocence, naivety, loss and sorrow.

Solo exhibitions:

She has held solo exhibition at Black Cat Gallery.