Mantis Love Story
Francine Zhang
Medium: India Ink, Gesso, Pastel and Acrylic on White Paper
Size: 166 x 46 inches
Year: 2024
Inspired by the story of the female praying mantis consuming the male during pregnancy, this piece builds a fading, sky-weeping sense of deathly romance through layers of charcoal and a wash of diluted gesso. The female’s blue claws, the only colored element, gradually approach the male, culminating in the act of removing his head.