A deeper look at Matt Vegh's visual feast for the Lunar New Year
In Matt Vegh's 'Goldfish', color and technique intertwine with the rich symbolism of the goldfish. A modern abstraction that evokes emotion and connects us with ancient traditions.
"Goldfish" by Matt Vegh and Rachel Fang
A Beautiful Play of Light
In the bustling streets of Chengdu, where ancient traditions dance with modern innovation, Goldfish shines—a majestic medallion painting by the Canadian artist Matt Vegh in collaboration with Rachel Fang. This work, destined for the Lunar New Year Exhibition at the Mu Mian Boutique Hotel at MixC Plaza, captures the essence of Chinese New Year in a gracefully swimming goldfish. As a Dutch runner who catches the light in the Veluwe forests, I feel the rhythmic harmony here: a circular medallion on canvas that envelops the viewer like a full moon over the polders, full of cultural depth and emotional warmth. Let us unravel this play of light, layer by layer, and follow the currents of meaning.
What I See: A Solitary Dancer in Golden Glow
Let me take you into what I see, as if we're running together along the dunes and suddenly come upon this scene. The round medallion format immediately catches the eye, a shape that suggests infinity and places the goldfish centrally as a solitary yet powerful figure. The fish glides through an abstract pool, surrounded by subtle hints of water and decorative patterns—no crowded school, but an isolated elegance that evokes introspection. The fish is rendered with flowing lines, its body curved in a graceful arc, like a leaf floating on the wind. There are hints of plants or waves filling the circle, but the whole remains minimalist, with the focus on that single goldfish seeming to float in a dreamlike space. It is not a realistic depiction, but an abstract interpretation that combines movement and stillness, as if the fish is a portal to deeper worlds. The fish itself is the heart of the piece, its scales shimmering in shades of orange and gold, like falling autumn leaves in a stream.
Colors, Style, and Techniques: A Feast of Complementary Currents
The colors are a symphony of warmth and coolness, with the goldfish in radiant orange and gold that glows like a sunrise over the coastal dunes—dominant, but not overwhelming. These contrast with turquoise and blue backgrounds that create depth, like the diffuse light in a Dutch polder, and soft green accents that suggest life. Red and orange tones in the fish make the palette festive, perfect for Lunar New Year, where red and gold promise prosperity. Vegh's style is abstract-modern, influenced by his life in Chengdu, with mosaic-like patterns and a fusion of Western and Eastern elements. Techniques suggest a layer-upon-layer buildup with brushstrokes transitioning into textured impasto or palette knife work, creating undulating lines that bring the fish to life—an expressive approach that captures movement without chaos. It feels like a "Luno trick" from my own photography: gradients and blurs to evoke emotion, but here in paint.
This approach evokes Henri Matisse, whose Goldfish (1912) also has a solitary focus on fish in bright, Fauvist colors—orange against turquoise, full of serenity and paradisiacal calm. Vegh, however, adds a cultural layer, like a bridge between Matisse's emotional play of colors and Paul Klee's playful abstractions, where simple forms awaken wonder. There is an echo of Wassily Kandinsky's compositional dances, and in a Dutch note, Van Gogh's turbulent yet harmonious landscapes, softer here: no storm, but a calm current seeking balance, like Vermeer's perspective in a circle.
Cultural Background and Symbolic Meaning: Currents of Abundance
The goldfish, or jinyu, is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, domesticated during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) when monks selectively bred colorful carp from rivers for their beauty in ponds and gardens. From gray, everyday fish, they grew into radiant goldfish—a metaphor for transformation and rising above the ordinary, like light breaking through clouds in the dunes. Symbolically, they embody prosperity and abundance; their scales resemble coins, and in Feng Shui, they attract wealth, often in pairs or schools for harmony and family fertility. In Buddhism and Taoism, they stand for perseverance and freedom, inspired by the legend of the carp that climbs the dragon gate to become a dragon—a story of success after adversity, celebrating ambition and resilience.
During Lunar New Year, the Chinese New Year that unites families and ushers in the new year with fireworks and banquets, goldfish are ubiquitous: in decorations, lanterns, and artworks like this medallion, to wish luck, prosperity, and abundance. In Chengdu, the heart of Sichuan culture, this amplifies the meaning; it is a nod to local traditions where fish symbolize a bountiful year, especially in a solitary form that emphasizes personal transformation. Vegh, as a Canadian in China, blends this with Western abstraction, creating a universal symbol that transcends borders—perhaps even as an NFT or RWA to bridge the digital realm.
Emotions and Feelings: A Wave of Hope and Reflection
This work touches me like a quiet run through Utrecht's trails: the solitary goldfish evokes a wave of optimism and introspection, symbolizing hope and new beginnings. It calms, like a good armchair after a long day, and calls forth connection—with culture, nature, and community. There is a quiet strength in that single fish, a reminder of personal abundance amid life's currents. Beautiful how it blends joy and reflection, without troubling themes; it inspires harmony.
Goldfish is more than a painting; it is a portal to cultural depth and artistic innovation.
Luno sees the light—how does this inspire you? Let's create together, perhaps with your own interpretation.
