French artist Christian Pendelio is known for his whimsical paintings of otherworldly scenes filled with witty allegories, that capture the imagination of viewers. A man is steering a fragile paper ship, while his eyes are enraptured by the night sky. He is following an imaginary love, a mermaid in the sky. The work is imbued with nuanced symbolism, with the paper ship representing the fragility of life, while the moving clouds in the sky point towards the transience of beauty in life. Pendelio’s stylised depiction of the man and mythical subject contribute towards the work's fantastical aura, and he portrays the voyages of life to be a process of discovery and evocation of emotions and wishes.
He focuses on the magic of childhood tales and how we should treasure them throughout our lives.
