Going home

When I first saw Elicia Edijanto’s paintings, what struck me was the deep stillness they brought out. The black and white colors that she chooses in all her artwork give them a profound sense of simplicity, like a return to origins.

It sounds like she looks for the essential only: no flourish, no emphasis, her paintings speak straight forward and without any detour to plunge us into a world of peace and harmony between all living beings. This is Elicia’s main quest:

“Though all of my paintings are inspired by nature, every piece has their own story, she said. “Going Home” was created based on my particular feeling of missing home. We all love adventure. We love stepping out of our door and starting a journey far away, to leave our comfort zone, and experience new things. It’s not easy out there, but I always believe that our sufferings will give us the capability to experience greater joy, and to appreciate more of what we have. Up to the mountains, down to the shores. Soaked in sunset, bitten by the cold of the night. Getting up, falling down, and getting up again. Finding a true friend, finding yourself, loving yourself, hating yourself, and finally accepting yourself just the way you are. A bitter-sweet journey. And at the end of it, we always miss home. We see our home with the whole new perspective. We come home as a whole different person, in a more positive way. We feel tired after a long journey, but at the same time we feel joy and peace. “Going Home” depicted this very moment. Walking side by side with our journey friend who now has become a brother. We’re going home, to rest, life is not all about running, but to stop and enjoy as well. We’ll finally enjoy our warm bed once again, sipping our cup of hot tea, telling over and over again about our adventure, laughing on it, cherishing it. At least we are living, not merely existing”.

“Going home”: Watercolour on paper, 30 x 30 cm, 2015