60×100 cm, oil on canvas
We traveled to New York for an exhibition and planned to see the city, including the Charging Bull. There was a huge line at the back of the bull. People were lining up to squat by the bull's testicles, rub them, and take a photo of it. An adult woman was just up in line, whom I photographed. It was funny! Then we went up to the front of the bull's head. There was a smaller line here. Mostly families were waiting with their small children, whom they lifted onto the bull's neck and took a photo of them. A little girl was sitting on the bull's neck from ear to ear, happily. I photographed her too.
Thinking about these scenes, I wondered what assumptions we hold about maturity and wisdom. As we grow older, we often believe we gain wisdom. However, observing the contrast between my two photos, I found myself questioning whether growing taller truly equals becoming wiser?
This painting is a recognition that societal assumptions regarding age and wisdom can be misleading. While external signs of maturity—height, experience, social status—are often celebrated, they do not necessarily reflect the depth or authenticity of inner understanding.
(The Charging Bull is a bronze sculpture that stands on Broadway just north of Bowling Green in the Financial District of Manhattan, New York. Measuring 3.4 meters high, 4.9 meters long, and weighing 3,200 kg, the bronze sculpture depicts a bull, a symbol of financial optimism and prosperity. People on the street say that you have to rub the bull's nose, horns, and testicles to bring good luck. This seems to have evolved into a tradition.)