74 cm, oil on canvas
My painting takes its name from one of Beethoven's most famous works, the Ode to Joy, the text of which was written by the German poet Friedrich Schiller in 1785. The work is the fourth movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, with four soloists, choir and orchestra. In 1972, the Council of Europe made the Ode to Joy the anthem of Europe. The work draws attention to the importance of practising the qualities of love, such as devotion, acceptance, tolerance, self-sacrifice, selflessness, brotherhood, and presents joy as a sacred and powerful thing, a divine spark that brings people together. My painting is inspired by this, but I wanted to approach these from a lighter side, so I used four different monkeys with funny faces as they dive into singing. In this painting, despite their differences, they symbolise unity. With this playful depiction, I emphasise that harmony and connection can flourish when we embrace diversity with a sense of humour and acceptance. The monkeys, with their distinctive appearance and moments of shared joy, serve as a lovely reminder that love and togetherness transcend our differences.