VISUAL ◇ STORYTELLING
Gouache on Montval Art Board
8x10 in / each, overall 88 x 64 x 1 in
The project consists of 27 pieces that together form a map of borders and the history of the European Union. Each artwork corresponds to a specific member country, and the tangled lines represent the length of the borders in scale. The black shapes signify the neighboring countries. The artworks are arranged chronologically based on the European Union's history. Therefore, the pieces start from the Treaty of Rome's effective date, January 1, 1958, which is generally considered the birthdate of the European Union. The first six founding countries, including France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany, agreed on a common market, laying the foundation for the EU. Later, Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined in 1973, followed by Greece in 1981. In 1986, Spain and Portugal joined, and Austria, Sweden, and Finland joined the EU in 1995. Almost a decade later, in 2004, 10 new members joined the EU, including Cyprus, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, and Malta. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007, and Croatia joined in 2013. The 9th piece is missing, which refers to the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union in January 2020, after being a member state for 47 years. The European Union currently faces various internal differences and struggles to find its identity and future direction.
Studio view, September 2021
