Surveillance (2018)

Surveillance is one of Yimiao's illustrations from her postgraduate student days at California State University, Long Beach. The painting expresses the fear of surveillance, especially as a feminist issue. The spotlight centres on the girl and the beams twine around her arms, legs and eyes. Being invasively monitored would make a girl change her behaviour. She may avoid expressing what she feels, doing what she wants to do. Evoking a strong, narrative desire, Yimiao's brushstrokes seem to describe the movements of people or objects. Mushroom is Yimiao's favourite element, showing all her subtle emotion about the world.

▲ The original line drawing