Eva • 17 • Wicklow

16-18 Category   •  2026
"Far Below", is my painting a picture version of my poem "the hero", inspired from "White Nights"Short story by Fyodor Dostoevsky this piece explores the themes hyper connectivity versus radical isolation. Every edge of it has contrast from Victorian flower language like anemone (means sickness) to pale pink roses of fleeting love each pedal with a hint of yellow for jealousy these carry deep meaning of the short story. (Other contrasts such as the retro style bedroom clashing with the sky scrapers in the background). It is in expressionism and surrealism style at first glance it all seems realistic until you examine the picture, the time is flipped, the proportions are wrong and a busy student's hand continues to study for exams, and the retro tape floating ,these are there to make a hallucination effect from depression , consistent all nighters and isolation. My poem: "The Hero" by Eva yu The Hero, that never lived, stood ever so proudly at the cliff, fell so hard they called him “sick”, Sank so deep like he never existed. only to drown into the abyss followed by one wish. In conclusion I have guided your focus at the pink rose under spotlight effect and the rectangle of coloured paint part of the picture, shows your view is limited, even with the lines fighting for your attention you decide to ignore it or the chaos of thunder and lightning storm outside the window could be ignored . Shows humans close minded nature of never looking outside the box, this exactly how the narrator must have felt in “White Night”. My design of a retro inspired poster indicates the harsh environment that we trap ourselves. To evolve we must explore!