草莓族

http://keiashley.weebly.com/

Stumbled upon chiawei's latest post and I clicked this^ link

Then I happened to click works > drawings > caomeizhu and I really liked the work! The artist, ashley yeo, happens to be miss michelle's friend I think :) cool

caomeizhu

by ashley yeo

pen and watercolour on paper | 110 x 91 cm | 2009 

草莓族 (cǎoméi zú) is a term used to stereotype the new generation of young people who "bruise easily" like the skin of strawberries. These people are spoiled, selfish, arrogant and sluggish when it comes to work, and are unable to withstand social pressure or work hard like their parents' generation (wiki, 2011). This is all due to the overprotection of parents, when the kids 被父母宠坏,  and also because of the increasing economically prosperous society that the new generation has grown up in. Most importantly, in the context of this work, it symbolises consumer behavior.

I am really drawn to this work, mainly cos of the colour scheme and the title. We did a chinese compo on 草莓族 before so I kinda knew what it meant, and then I saw this work and was taken aback by how creatively clever the artist was in trying to convey her hidden message. I guess this work is a social commentary? about the new generation of people, not just about the taiwanese (the term 草莓族 was derived from taiwan) or about the westerners (they have something called Generation Y as well), but about singaporeans, about us. 

I like the artist's concept alot. I like how she depicts the huge maybank building right smack in the middle cos it's symbolic of singapore's cbd area. I like how she handles her pen and water colour as well, leaving the final work as something that's not spotlessly perfect as you can see from the shaded areas of the maybank building. On the other hand, someone like xindi or jiashin would've created something totally clean hehehehe. I think her pen work is really fascinating cos it kinda looks like pencil work in the end???? And lastly, I really like how she uses monotone for the whole work EXCEPT for the strawberries that are painted with such a rich shade of red. They even look juicy and edible!!!!

Anyway, I think the artist is trying to convey the message that the new generation is becoming increasingly selfish and greedy, only wanting to take take and take, and not give give and give; also she may be trying to highlight the over-reliance of things that come by so easily in this day and age. The idea of a bowl of ripe,red strawberries blatantly lying there for anyone to take is just genius. The ALL U CAN EAT BUFFET STARTING FROM $9999banner also tells us alot about how money is valued today. An increasing number of people are willing to settle anything and  everything with $$$$ and this is precisely why we see the disappointing trend of 草莓族s in singapore. What happened to the nation that worked so hard and so humbly for a better life, for a brighter future for their families and for singapore? Development and technology is consuming the younger generation as much as we are the consumers of technology. how ironic.

I wonder if I'm considered as a part of the 草莓族

hmm