Hope

Kirsi Syrlin:

Hope is acrylic on canvas.

“When you learn you have cancer, the only things you have left are hope and science. You must place all your bets on science, place your trust in the hands of strangers, and after that, you must hope. Hope for the best. Whenever I have met difficulties in life, I have always received help from nature. When everything looks dark and hopeless, the peaking crocuses under the snow will lighten up one’s day. When dark clouds gather above you, the memory of whispering willows under the Italian sky will help you recover and gain your energy. I feel that a beautiful piece of art can also help one to heal just like a peaceful moment in nature.

My paintings are usually classified as semi abstracts. One can find something to recognise with other parts melting into playful colour movements. Some pieces are more expressive, some more impressionistic. Sometimes I play with classical themes. In this piece, I combined my personal experience with the moments from my visit to the Talman lab, where I saw the wonderful and coloured microscope images and stunning beating cardiac cells.

How does it feel to hear the bad news of being seriously ill and how do you recover? With hope and science”.