Shiyu Chen really wanted us to think and feel when we look at their artwork, inviting viewers to witness characters ensconced in solitude and vulnerability among the youth nowadays.

Shiyu paints scenes that make us imagine characters who are by themselves and seem unsure about what to do. It's like Shiyu’s telling us it's normal to sometimes feel uncertain and lost, especially when we're young and trying to figure out our place in the world.

To express this idea, Shiyu employs a nuanced palette, suffused with shades of gray, to imbue the composition with an abstract quality. It's like they're trying to show us how life can sometimes feel foggy and unclear, viewers are enveloped in a poignant ambiance, akin to a somber introspection, wherein emotions stir without clear articulation, just like you can’t point out a finger why.

By naming the work as 离岛(Outlying Island), Shiyu likely intends to evoke a sense of being distant or separated from the mainstream. The term "outlying" implies a location that is on the margin, removed from the central hub of activity. This isolation could be both physical and metaphorical, symbolizing feelings of being disconnected or alienated from society. The notion of an island further emphasizes this sense of seclusion, as islands are often seen as isolated and solitary places.

Shiyu’s 离岛(Outlying Island) invites us to pause and reflect on the complexities of being human. Perhaps we're not alone in our struggles to understand in this puzzle called life.

Interpretation