Evangeline Chua Jia Xuan

Theme: Everyday Things

Distinction, School Category, 2022

Artist statement:

“A Miracle to See” is about how a cornea transplant enables one to see beautiful things. I painted a transplanted cornea, using acrylic paint of a complementary color scheme, as the lens of a telescope. This is because a cornea and the lens of a telescope is similar in terms of their functions as they both focus light to create an image. The reflection on the cornea shows the stars in the universe, which is something one cannot see without a proper cornea. My recent interest in the colors of the sky is what inspired me to incorporate stars in my work.

As for the rest of the painting, I used a dull watercolor paint for the color of the background of my work and the telescope to bring the viewer's attention to the cornea. Furthermore, in order to add details, I used a white pen to draw stars in the background and constellations on the telescope. I had also written in white the title of my work on the telescope. This is to remind viewers how a cornea transplant can bring the wonder of sight, which is something we may take for granted, to the person receiving the cornea. In conclusion, “A Miracle to See” is about a cornea represented as the lens of a telescope.

About the Artist

Evangeline Chua Jia Xuan, 14
CHIJ St. Joseph's Convent