We all wished we were Superman or at least some kind of super hero..I do..But even with super powers, every super hero seems to have a weakness also...so, why don't people want to become immortal instead?? but having the ability to fly..would be badass....
In our Hmong culture we believe in the supernatural or ghosts..and tigers are a big part of Hmong folklores and stories...I've never taken any classes in story boarding or anything, so this is kind of a take on it..kind of..not really..I was just having fun with these images..but there's more to come..
I notice every artist has their own take on someone else's characters..so, I'm gonna take a crack -a-lack at it too..
Thought I give a take at Batman and Robin, Titus style...nothing fancy or complicated..I like everything simplified..
The Hmong have practice "UA DAB", a religion based on a spirit world. Traditionally "animist," followers of Ua Dab believe phenomena such as dreams, hallucinations and death are related to the spiritual existence of animals and plants, and the existence of the human soul. Their faith originates out of respect and homage to their living elders as well as to the spirits who influence the fortune of those living. Out of this strong belief, contact with the spirits through shamans - or spirit mediums - evolved as an important way for the Hmong to change their condition, correct an illness and to ensure good health and fortune.
Shifting cultivation is the reason for the Hmong’s semi-migratory way of life. With this technique, farmers clear a piece of land, burn the vegetation, and then plant crops. After several years, they move on to a new field to allow the old fields to reforest. A Hmong person belongs to a family, the family belongs to a clan, and the clan belongs to the Hmong people. A typical day for a Hmong family in Laos begins at about 4:00 in the morning or at the first crow of the family rooster. The oldest daughter and daughter-in-law are usually the first to get up. They cook breakfast, prepare foods for lunch, feed the animals, and clean the house. The husband helps his wife feed the animals and grind corn. After breakfast, the working members of the family will head to their fields. After working together in the fields, the family usually returns home before sunset. On the way, they gather firewood and wild plants and herbs for dinner. At home, there are activities in the evening for everyone. Parents prepare the evening meal, attend to the animals, and make sure there are enough supplies for the next day. The paternal grandparents sit next to the fireplace with their grandchildren and tell stories. Many of these stories concern animism, animals, and the environment; others are about the past, such as when the Hmong lived in the valley of the Yellow River in China. Hmong elders also use stories to explain why things are the way they are, for example, why the tiger has black and yellow stripes or why the bear has black hair.
Born in a village of poor fisherfolk and growing up illiterate, Hung Tung worked as officiant in a Taoist temple while doing odd jobs to maintain his family. He did not start painting until 1969 when he was 50. But his standing as a non-traditional artist together with the detailed and fantasmagoric nature of his art gave rise in the 70s to a lively debate in Taiwan between admirers and detractors of his work, in a country in which naive art and art brut had until then been quite unknown concepts.
