"573km from the City" combines a style known as Chinese paper cutting with digital LED optics. Fascinating and raw, the use of both techniques introduces a modern take on traditional artwork. Chinese paper cutting or Jianzhi is the tradition of creating a “Window Flower,” or cut out image from thin and delicate paper during the time of Chinese New Year. This form of art originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty of China and has slowly penetrated its way into every society and across numerous cultures worldwide even into homes where distinct people groups lend their own ideas to new cut concepts. In Asia, you will often find red paper used to create images of flowers and circular icons hung on store windows, restaurant doors and in the family home. Yet, in the United States it is not red paper but white this is popular. Take the example of a school classroom. Countless homerooms are decorated with winter snowflakes that are mostly created by small students as classroom projects, or by the hands of artists in preparation for fairs and bazaars.
In "573km from the City", you’ll notice the soft interaction between the two digital red butterflies as they dance flirtatiously around the implanted and unmovable paper. It appears they are begging for something. Perhaps they are begging for a unison between historic art and modern art. Art traditionally tends to focus more on standing, tried, and rigid rules, where the artist has less personal say in their own process of creativity. Whereas, modern art allows for a larger process of exploration and free-flowing style. As we watch society grow more continually open to innovation and interpretation in all realms from art to written work, such art forms, we find are becoming openly united. Though the paper itself appears lifeless and inanimate, imagine the butterflies as a call of awakening. It appears they are calling to the great spirit of tradition and asking for modernization. [Kristen Delaney]