Title of the Work of Art:

Together in Marriage and Plans of Life and Death

Date of Creation:
2016

Genre:
Portrait
Period-Movement:
Contemporary Art
Technique:
Painting
Materials:
Original digital artwork
Dimensions:
Not Stated


Artwork Description:
Nicholaas Chiao's exceptional metaphorical painting of a man and woman symbolizes eternal love and a cycle of life. The painting is characterized by a monochromatic orange color scheme, accented with the whites of wedding dresses and the rhythms of ultramarine blue decor. The composition is unusual and dynamic, with the figures occupying the edges and the horizontal middle of the canvas. The artwork evokes the styles of Gustav Klimt, particularly 'The Kiss,' and Edvard Munch, particularly 'The Dance of Life.' (Edvard Munch's Influence on 20th Century Art, 2025) On the left side of the diptych, we see a young, handsome couple of newlyweds, and on the right side, perhaps the same couple years later, as aged, near-walking-dead skeletons still mutually affected by love and staying together. The catalyst for the idea to paint 'The Wedding of Skeletons' was a piece by Spanish artist Oscar Nin, whose work depicting a wedding in a dark, horror-filled style on a black background intrigued Nicholaas Chiao. This painting, 'Together in Marriage and Plans of Life and Death,' symbolizes eternal love that endures from youth to old age. Nicholaas Chiao explores themes of the cyclical nature of existence and the notion of rebirth after life has ended.