There seems to be a paradoxical relationship between the title and the actual presentation of this painting. The act of “gazing” is a slow sturdy motion which engages both the subject and object. However, in this painting, the subjective, controlling gaze does not really exist because the main character of this painting does not have eyes. The oval-shaped spots in the painting, which are inspired by the way in which Japanese manga depicts a smile, play an ambiguous role in this painting, as it is not clear whether or not they are meant to be the eyes of the character. It can therefore be suggested that it is not with the physical sense of sight, but with a gentle look that the main character in this painting gazes at its object, just like how I look at the world as I experience it. This painting attempts to convey my light attitude towards life. I would like to emphasize that “lightness” is rather different from “casualness”. “Casualness” is the way in which we achieve “lightness”. In other words, whereas “lightness” is the purpose, “casualness” is the means with which to accomplish such a purpose. And this principle can be applied to painting to describe the relationship between color, technique and atmosphere. I have chosen black to be the main color of the painting. It is not my intention to convey any sense of weight or protest with the black color. Instead, by applying the techniques of coating and smearing, I try to transform the visual quality of the black color to make it appear light and semi-transparent. One may feel as if one could find something from underneath the black veil, but in fact there is nothing there. The thin black film is used to build up the atmosphere for this painting to give the viewers greater space for imagination. Bright colors or gold/silver colors are used in the painting to complement the black. These colors often create a feeling of artificial intervention, or even a disturbing visual effect. Nevertheless, the sense of artificiality and sharpness complements the black perfectly; when placed together, they create a surreal and dreamy atmosphere and a paradoxical relationship between these elements. I apply the techniques of coating and smearing to create the casual atmosphere and to give those elements a sense of voidness. The lightness of the semi-transparent image evokes a sense of fluidity, making one feels as if wandering freely in a boundless space, just like flying slowly in a hot-air balloon. (Wu Yung Chieh)