Ben Bui

The Ballade of a Thousand Winds

Fear is not conquered by hiding in comfort, but the hunger to master the winds. Centering a climactic scene, the painting aspires to deliver a pictorial drama that is both rapturous and suspenseful. The winds will commence violently, but they too can be alleviating.Inspired by Chopin's "Ballades", the work builds upon the essence of Romantic poeticism to capture a thrilling sensation that holds both suspension and conviction. Against the raging storm, the girl's hair and dress ripple and blow with tenacity - yet her hand extends to reach out with resolute, feeling of the storm itself. Unlike the figure in "Revel", her eyes are now opened to confront what is before her. Her complex expression hovers between determination, hesitation, fear, and awe – depicting an ambivalence in the moment before an emotional climax. She glances back at us asking: Are we ready to master our own winds?