This body of paintings embarks upon an inward journey, diving into the internal dialogue and modes of expression that portray what it means to be human in the present day. Symbolic stick figures and anthropomorphic tools inhabit surreal realms, serving as vessels for exploration within Tan’s narratives. Subjects are often characterized by exaggerated and contorted physical forms, offering revealing glimpses of their psychological states of being and yearnings. Caught somewhere between symbolism and representation, the universal symbol of a human being is rendered to convey a sense of personage and individual presence. Tan’s ambiguous and nondescript figuration navigates away from the pitfalls of stereotypical representation while retaining a distinct personhood. The sense of pop in borrowing the symbolism of the iconic yellow stick figure is balanced with an equal emphasis on realism. The intricate details and vivid depictions of the environment show Tan’s unique approach to the genre of figures in a landscape, which she describes as “virtual realism.” What is normally organic and curvilinear in form—a snake, a tree—becomes highly geometric, and the conventionally stiff and spare lines of a stick figure are now graceful and flowing, possessing a different sense of power and life.

This body of paintings embarks upon an inward journey, diving into the internal dialogue and modes of expression that portray what it means to be human in the present day. Symbolic stick figures and anthropomorphic tools inhabit surreal realms, serving as vessels for exploration within Tan’s narratives. Subjects are often characterized by exaggerated and contorted physical forms, offering revealing glimpses of their psychological states of being and yearnings. Caught somewhere between symbolism and representation, the universal symbol of a human being is rendered to convey a sense of personage and individual presence. Tan’s ambiguous and nondescript figuration navigates away from the pitfalls of stereotypical representation while retaining a distinct personhood. The sense of pop in borrowing the symbolism of the iconic yellow stick figure is balanced with an equal emphasis on realism. The intricate details and vivid depictions of the environment show Tan’s unique approach to the genre of figures in a landscape, which she describes as “virtual realism.” What is normally organic and curvilinear in form—a snake, a tree—becomes highly geometric, and the conventionally stiff and spare lines of a stick figure are now graceful and flowing, possessing a different sense of power and life.