Inspired by Qixi
七夕

This series by Kay Kok Chung-Oi, known for producing art focused on the rich cultural heritage of Singapore, is centred on the ancient QiXi festival as told through the incredible research from Reviving QiXi: Singapore’s Forgotten Seven Sisters Festival by cultural heritage researcher and QiXi Fest 2023 organiser Lynn Wong and her co-writer and researcher Lee Kok Leong.

Kay having poured through and studied the book which centres on yesteryear's Qixi festival celebrations in Singapore, has produced a series of paintings whin interpret the origin story and myth about the festival through Chinese lattice designs, shapes, motifs, and symbols. The intricate latticework produced by Kay, brings to life the abstract concept of heaven earth, and man, skillfully weaving elements of the Qixi myth. This was the first time the festival had been artificially interpreted through visual arts in Singapore.

The Qixi myth features 3 central characters: a Weaver Fairy from the heavens, one of Seven Sisters, known for her ability to stitch clouds seamlessly; a mortal Cowherd whom she meets and eventually weds following a most momentous visit to earth; and finally a flock of magpies who reunite them annually after the heavens, enraged by the pair’s union, split them apart across the Milky Way for most of eternity, allowing them to only meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th Lunar month.

郭钟爱以创作新加坡丰富文化遗产的艺术而闻名，该系列以古老的七夕节为中心，通过文化遗产研究员和《复兴七夕：新加坡被遗忘的七姐妹节》的研究来讲述 2023 年七夕节组织者 Lynn Wong 和她的合著者兼研究员 Lee Kok Leong。

郭钟爱仔细研读了这本以新加坡去年七夕节庆祝活动为中心的书，创作了一系列绘画作品，通过中国的格子设计、形状、图案和符号来诠释七夕节的起源故事和神话。 她制作的错综复杂的格子，将天、地、人的抽象概念带入生活，巧妙地编织了七夕神话的元素。 这是新加坡首次通过视觉艺术来人为地诠释这个节日。

七夕神话有 3 个中心人物：天上的织女，七姐妹之一，以无缝缝合云彩而闻名； 在一次对地球最重要的访问后，她遇到了一个凡人牛郎，并最终结婚了； 最后，每年天后都会有一群喜鹊将他们的结合激怒，将他们分开在银河系的另一边，直到永远，只允许他们每年农历七月初七见面一次。

Title: The Milky Way (2023)
Size: 60cm X 80cm 
Medium: Acrylic

作品名称: 七仙女 (2023)
尺寸: 60cm X 80cm 
媒材: 丙烯

The circular lattice represents heaven and the heavenly being, the Weaver Fairy. The square lattice represents earth, the original home of the Cowherd. They come together in this image to form a singular star, symbolizing the union of the Weaver Fairy and Cowherd.

圆形格子代表天堂和天上的织女。 方格代表大地，是牛郎原来的家。 它们在这个图像中聚集在一起，形成一颗奇异的星星，象征着织女和牛郎的结合。

Title: 7 fairies (2023)
Size: 60cm X 80cm 
Medium: Acrylic 

The central square is known as a “parallelogram Chinese lattice”. It symbolises the earth while the curved lines outside the parallelogram represent heaven. The seven narcissus flowers represent the Seven Sisters in the QiXi festival myth who dwell in the heavenly realm overlooking the earth. The Weaver Fairy herself is represented by a yellow flower as she descends to earth to meet the Cowherd.

中心的正方形被称为“平行四边形中国格子”。 它象征着大地，而平行四边形外面的曲线则代表着天堂。 七朵水仙花代表七夕神话中居住在天国俯瞰人间的七姐妹。 织女下凡迎接牛郎时，以一朵黄花为代表。

Title: Ascending to heaven (2023)
Size: 60cm X 80cm 
Medium: Acrylic

Magpies, represented by black arrowhead symbols, begin their ascend to the heavens as they leave the earthly realm (the central square in the image). Mercifully, the heavens allow the Weaver Fairy and Cowherd to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. The magpies are essential in helping them form a heavenly bridge so that they may meet.

黑色箭头符号代表喜鹊，在离开尘世（图像中的中心广场）时开始升向天空。 幸运的是，上天让织女和牛郎在每年的农历七月初七相聚一次。 喜鹊在帮助他们架起一座天桥以使他们相遇方面发挥着重要作用。

Title: Heavenly bridge (2023)
Size: 60cm X 80cm
Medium: Acrylic

The vertical rectangle represents the heavenly bridge formed by the magpies (the black arrowhead symbols). The subtle circle in the middle of the vertical rectangle depicts the earth's and heaven's reunion. This also suggests the reunion of “Yin”, the Weaver Fairy from heaven, and “Yang”. The Cowherd from earth.

垂直的矩形代表喜鹊（黑色箭头符号）形成的天桥。 垂直矩形中间的微妙圆圈描绘了地球和天堂的团聚。 这也暗示着天上织女“阴”与“阳”的重逢。 来自地球的牛郎。

Title: 7 Sisters Basin (2023)
Size: 60cm X 80cm
Medium: Acrylic 

This hexagonal Chinese lattice depicts the Seven Sisters Basin, a key part of Qixi festivities. Earthly devotees would typically burn the paper or cardboard basin as an offering to the Seven Sisters. Basins would typically come affixed with paper designs, of items and accessories. In this case, this basin features a comb, rouge, powder, a mirror, fan, ruler, flute, and a scent bag. These items overlap in the painting. The smaller hexagon depicts a weaving machine, symbolizing the Weaver Fairy who is one of the central focuses of the Qixi festival.

这个六边形的中国格子描绘了七姐妹盆地，这是七夕庆祝活动的重要组成部分。 尘世的信徒通常会焚烧纸盆或纸板盆作为对七姐妹的供奉。 盆上通常贴有纸质图案、物品和配件。 在这个例子中，这个盆里有梳子、胭脂、粉末、镜子、扇子、尺子、笛子和香袋。 这些物品在画中重叠。 较小的六边形描绘了一台织布机，象征着织女，她是七夕节的中心焦点之一。