Cantor Frances Mikaela Tan

Theme: Organic Perspectives

Artist statement:

My artwork portrays the vast sea of possibilities a heart experiences after being transplanted. Within the body - where the ribs wrap around like delicate ribbons - the heart takes the form of a young maiden, symbolising rebirth and new beginnings. Though her gaze is fixed upon the viewer, her form gently moves away, implying that she is departing from the past to enter a new body and a new home. Her skirt, fashioned into a ballgown, like the kind worn at a dance, shows how the heart is getting ready to dance to the rhythm of a fresh heartbeat. The gown blends into cascading waves, representing the infinite ocean of paths and opportunities now available to her. Woven into the fabric of the dress are different memories; it can be interpreted as either the precious moments of the heart’s past owner living on or the endless memories of the new owner waiting to happen. Her bright, starry eyes reflect a sense of innocence, wonder, and deep gratitude for the gift of life. Through this new journey, the heart is liberated to beat with excitement during the joy of birthday celebrations, race with pride during milestones like graduation, and pulse softly through the quiet, ordinary moments of daily life, like going out shopping. During grand events, such as a wedding, the heart dances even more. Each beat becomes part of a new adventure made possible entirely through transplantation. The colour palette represents healing and transformation. The deep blues evoke a sense of melancholy and represent deoxygenated blood, yet the artwork is intentionally not fully blue. This color signifies that the sadness of loss is not forever, eventually transforming into vibrant hues of gratitude and hope. In contrast, brilliant bursts of red pulse seen across the piece, channeling the warmth of living blood, profound love, and renewed passion. The violet is a mix of the two; the feelings are complex and are not entirely happy or sad - a bittersweet emotion. Like the eternal ebb and flow of the ocean, the heart continues to beat: vast, deep, and teeming with life. As the heart beats for someone new, it carries eternal gratitude, living out new memories, and becomes a beautiful continuation of life itself.

About the Artist

Cantor Frances Mikaela Tan, 17
Crescent Girls' School