Preparation before flight

Artwork Interpretation

This painting Preparations for Flight weaves a fantastical narrative with unique visual symbols. In the picture, an animal and a small boat form the core scene. The creature resembling a sheep seems to hold the expectation of heading towards the unknown, “pulling” the boat with a line, as if saying, “Ready to go”. In terms of composition, the elements seem random but hide an order. The animal, the boat, and the surrounding flowing - colored forms nestle against each other, like building an imaginative departure stage, guiding viewers to guess the wonderful story “before the flight”.

The use of color is bold and harmonious. The pink - purple background is like a gentle dream curtain. The heat of red and orange is like a jumping flame of hope. The touches of blue and green seem to inject cool courage into the journey. Different tones collide and blend, filling the picture with the vitality of an upcoming departure. The painting style leans towards symbolic expressiveness. Abandoning the tediousness of realism, it uses simple shapes and subjective colors to endow the images with meanings beyond reality. The animal and the boat seem to become spokespersons for “courage” and “exploration”, telling the yearning for the distance in artistic language.

The emotional expression is optimistic and full of tension. The energy of “being ready to embrace the unknown” overflows from the picture, conveying the positive power of not fearing challenges and longing for freedom. In terms of similar artists, it resonates with Paul Klee’s fantastical style. Both are good at building a spiritual world with symbolic images and dreamy colors. However, this work has a more simple and warm - life touch. It turns the daily philosophical thoughts of “preparations for flight” into vivid visual symbols, allowing viewers to regain the enthusiasm for exploration in the dialogue between colors and forms. It’s as if one also stands at the starting point of this wonderful flight, and the heart, along with the picture, sets sail briskly towards the imagined distance, making art a spark that ignites courage and longing.

Why is the figure rendered through blank space?

The figure is almost entirely left in white, defined only by faint outlines and simplified facial features. This use of emptiness suggests an “unfinished soul”, caught between presence and absence, as if pausing at the threshold before departure.

What does the blue boat symbolize?

The boat’s cool blue sharply contrasts with the surrounding red-orange field, functioning both as a shelter of safety and as a vessel poised to leave shore. It implies that “flight” here is not the action of wings but the departure of the spirit into the unknown.

How does the red-orange ripple-like background affect the atmosphere?

The warm undulating field resembles both flowing fire and untamed waves, engulfing the boat and figure. It injects kinetic energy into the scene, evoking the tension of anticipation — the restlessness before flight.

What is the value of this work in modern watercolor and conceptual art collecting?

Preparation for Flight merges the expressive qualities of watercolor with surreal symbolic imagery. Beyond its experimental form, it raises philosophical reflections on freedom, transition, and departure, making it especially resonant within collections of contemporary conceptual art.

What settings and occasions suit its display?

With its dreamlike and symbolic aura, the work is well suited to contemporary art exhibitions, young artist showcases, or private creative spaces. It acts as a visual catalyst, inviting viewers into contemplation of beginnings and unknown journeys.

What should I pay attention to when buying an artwork or its derivatives?

A: Click here to view ARTPHILOSO's Guide for Collectors.