Dream of Night Flight

This artwork is a testament to the pursuit of freedom, drawing inspiration from the profound themes of duty and aspiration in “Night Flight” (Vol de Nuit) by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
The piece is born from the imaginative concept of a domesticated chicken that, despite having its ability to fly diminished through breeding, still harbors a deep instinct for flight. The image captures the chicken’s secret act of rebellion: under the cover of darkness, it puts on a superhero-like, safe red cape and soars freely until dawn. This midnight excursion symbolizes the courageous release of suppressed natural desires and the pursuit of a magnificent personal dream.
Stylistically, the work is a tribute to French master Henri Matisse, who, in his later years, pioneered the cut-out technique. Following this inspiration, the artist did not use traditional opaque paints; instead, the texture and vibrancy are achieved by hand-tearing pieces of durable colored Hanji paper and assembling them.
The dominant color palette—Red, White, and Blue—is intentionally used to honor France as the nation that produced both of the primary inspirations for this work: the author Saint-Exupéry and the artist Matisse. Furthermore, the chicken’s comb is replaced by a red crown, a visual metaphor that signifies the animal’s sense of triumph and success in achieving its own magnificent flight.