Swim Art: Yun Chen's "Salsa"

Swim Art: Yun Chen’s “Salsa”

Each day this week I’m sharing a series of images by artist Yun Chen. She developed a character called “Salsa”, and Yun’s statement about the work is as follows:

“Sometimes, as a foreigner, being in New York City feels like a daydream. We pursue our goals - many times we find ourselves confused, lost, unsure about anything, but we are not quitting. Just like Salsa and her daydream. Thinking about how wonderful it would be if she could swim. It is as much grace as the birds flying through the sky. She is confused about the future, and having to conquer the fear of self-doubts, she ponders whether to continue, or to give up. Eventually she makes the leap to give all in, even knowing that she might eventually find herself lost and drowned in her dream just like all the others in this city.”

I love this little story about finding confidence, taking risks, and pursuing dreams. And swimming is a little bit like flying in that you feel weightless and can dive and wiggle through space in a way you can’t while on land. On land you go forward, backwards, or sideways, but in the pool you have up, down, diagonal up or down, just like a bird.  

See more of Yun’s work on her Behance page and on her personal website.