LIMINAL SPACE II

Liminal Space II (2017) forms the second part of Choy’s practice-led Honours research project with the University of Canberra. In this series, she translates traditional Chinese methodologies and mark-making into large-scale oil paintings on linen, expanding the scale and physicality of the work. The transition from delicate rice paper to expansive canvas invites a deeper exploration of gesture as a full-body experience—where sweeping, deliberate movements embody the rhythm and flow of calligraphic stroke.

In these works, the indelible mark becomes a powerful trace of the artist’s presence and energy, underscoring the significance of posture and bodily alignment that are foundational in traditional Chinese painting. Through this immersive, ritualistic process, Choy emphasizes the artist not merely as creator but as instrument—where the act of painting becomes a dynamic dialogue between body, brush, and medium.

This duality between paper and canvas embodies the ongoing conversation between tradition and contemporary practice, revealing how ancient systems can be reinterpreted and revitalized through new materials and scale. Liminal Space II deepens the investigation into how process and physicality contribute to the evocation of the sublime in artistic creation.

Liminal Space I and II were generously critiqued by Choy’s esteemed teacher of traditional Chinese painting, Professor Dong Ya of Tianjin University. His insightful commentary can be read here.