Joe's Capriccio delves into a surreal and absurd worldview, journeying through the protagonist Joe’s inner Heterotopia in a continuous search for authenticity in reality. The work explores the symbolic complexity of liminal spaces, investigating the myriad forms and possibilities they present. As Joe navigates through various unfamiliar realms and unstable surreal elements, he embarks on an ongoing quest for identity and purpose.
The series, which consists of a prologue (MENDA City Dreaming) and three chapters (MENDA City, UNI, DAGON), unfolds across different dimensions—dream, reality, and surreality—each accessible through various forms of portals. The creatures and elements Joe encounters serve as metaphors for unforgettable experiences and emotions. Additionally, the accompanying animation illustrates a key moment in the narrative, where the protagonist undergoes separation, transition, and integration, symbolizing the cognitive ambiguity and identity anxiety inherent in his journey. The long-scroll oil painting (prints) Rat Race similarly uses distorted and shifting spaces, along with the protagonist's detachment from his surroundings, to represent the suspended, in-between nature of liminal space.
Zuyi Jin is a Chinese painter and illustrator whose work explores contemporary issues such as the liminality of immigrant experiences, the instability of shifting environments, and emotional transitions. He earned his bachelor's degree in Oil Painting from Capital Normal University in 2022. Currently, Jin is pursuing an MFA in Illustration at the University of Miami, where he also holds a full teaching assistantship. His art has been showcased in various Miami exhibitions, including at MOCCA, The Bonnier Gallery, and the University of Miami Wynwood Gallery.
